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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: 2) by PocketSizeSUn on Tuesday May 16 2017, @05:58PM
There is an android 'mirror' scheme that was eventually superseded by Android Auto that is supported by quite a few aftermarket audio systems.
This is basically what you want for you in-dash is to just plug your phone in.
FYI: Android Auto should be available for any Android phone running 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher and the Android Auto app.
While Android Auto technically can run over WiFi+Bluetooth it does tend to drain your battery pretty fast so USB+Bluetooth is the recommended model.
[Due to limitations is control of phone design Bluetooth is still required for phone audio on some devices, not sure if some future version will drop the requirement for phones that can route phone audio through the codec to the USB/WiFI endpoint]
The equivalent systems also exists for IOS Devices called CarPlay. The Apple version does not require Bluetooth as the phone audio can be directly routed through the codec (or passed through as WAV) there are some aftermarket devices that initially only supported CarPlay and dropped the Bluetooth from the BOM. Apple also introduced a non-spec compatible USB protocol that not all SOCs vendors support ... this increased engineering / BOM cost was used to justify dropping the Bluetooth support.
On the plus side any USB chip capable of supporting Apple CarPlay also supports Android Auto, and any head-unit that doesn't have Bluetooth was just a bad idea anyway...
Hope this helps.