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Google has taken a major step toward turning Android into a complete operating system for cars that doesn't require the use of a phone. The company announced partnerships with Audi and Volvo today, ahead of this week's I/O developer's conference, that will see those carmakers build new branded infotainment systems using Android 7.0 Nougat.
The manufacturer-tweaked versions of Google's operating system will power the cars' main touchscreen displays, as well as the digital dashboards behind the steering wheel. They will add new services like Google Assistant to the apps and integrations already available on Android Auto. But Android will now also control basic functions like heating and cooling, seat position, or opening and closing the windows. (It won't go as far as controlling critical safety systems like brakes, though, according to Google.) Volvo says it plans to launch its Android on new models within two years, while Audi will show its version off in the new Audi Q8 Sport concept.
Audi is owned by the Volkswagen Group based in Germany. Since the 2010 sale by Ford Motor Company, Volvo Cars has been owned by Geely, a Chinese automotive manufacturer.
Source: The Verge
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 16 2017, @02:23PM (2 children)
The entertainment system in my Mazda could do with anything to replace the current "infotainment" system and Android seems like quite a good fit. The current media player has no state and insists on sorting all my music by Track Title (ignoring artist, album, etc.). It always plays tracks in the same order either on this default sort or the same "random" order. Whoever designed and coded this brainfuck must have a very small music collection with a very weird track naming system.
Love the car; hate the music system - although it does sound fantastic once you've found the music you want to listen to.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Tuesday May 16 2017, @05:07PM
Can you plug your own audio source into it?
(Score: 3, Informative) by kaszz on Thursday May 18 2017, @09:26AM
Isn't the audio system mechanically compatible with ISO 7736 [wikipedia.org] and use connector standard ISO 10487 [wikipedia.org] such that you can just replace it at will?