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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, @11:46PM (8 children)
NO COMPUTERS IN CARS...
(Score: 2) by maxwell demon on Wednesday May 17 2017, @06:54AM (7 children)
And how am I supposed to transport my laptop? On the roof? :-)
On a more serious note, you're out of luck. Every modern car has computers built in. In places where you don't even notice them. I'm not even sure you could fulfil current emission regulations without computer control.
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Wednesday May 17 2017, @04:44PM (6 children)
Even worse the connection between the steering wheel and the physical wheels on the road is by wire. Through some trust-us (tm) computer running binary only blob.
Not forgetting the cellular and satellite connection for "updates".
(Score: 1) by anubi on Thursday May 18 2017, @07:11AM (5 children)
That sends shudders up and down me every time I even *think* of it.
And I am one of the ones who *design* these things!!!
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Thursday May 18 2017, @09:04AM (4 children)
Better buy some old cars while you can..
And of course rip out any communication ports on a modern car. Separate the control systems from everything else.. like entertainment.
* Do you think it would be hard to simulate a car OBD port? so if someone plugs in something bad in the car it will only p0wn a chip that doesn't matter.
* And how hard would it be to (ab)use the drive-by-wire system to control it by ones own computer? such that it can send out "steer 20⁰ left" etc. Are those communication buses available?
(Score: 1) by anubi on Thursday May 18 2017, @10:01AM (3 children)
Kaszz: That was the main reason I bought that old diesel van I pontificate on here probably way too much.
What I see going on scares me about the ongoing maintainability or usability, with so many people having their hand in the pot. So many hands that can cause me problems. And fewer and fewer ways of legally prying those hands out of my life.
And to top it all off... crap like THIS [trucktrend.com].
I have worked with embedded processors all my life. If there is one thing I have learned: If you want it done right, Do It Yourself! I can't trust ANYBODY to do stuff, especially if they have the power to code stuff behind my back and have Congress pass law saying I can't see what they told the machine to do. Its like being handed legally binding contracts which are unlawful for me to read. To add insult to injury, they are allowed to do anything they want to do to me while holding themselves harmless.
This has gone too far in my book. Way too far.
I work with this stuff! And I don't trust it! This is like a chef admitting he won't eat the dish he's asked to serve.
As far as simulation of an OBD port, its who you are trying to fool. A bit difficult if trying to spoof a smog station, but I would guess possible to intercept a OBD stream and edit the parameters to those the smog check station wants to see. I'd have to look at the stuff a bit to see what things want to see and if I can synthesize on-the-fly data that fits their profile.
As far as the steer-by-wire, I would think if the physical interface exists on the wire, there exists a possibility of abuse... and if its some thing the government is mandating ... it will probably be abused. Law only applies to law-abiders anyway. People who do not abide by law often take great advantage of this. Laws mandating ignorance are not in the best interest of the public. Kinda like de-clawing a cat then putting it back into the wild to fend for itself.
When others know how to control your stuff, and you don't know how to keep them out of it, you are gonna be in a heap of hurt.
There are people out there who will gladly take control of your car just to see the wreck. Just for the fun of it. While Congress is giving them the tools and legal protection to keep the rest of us ignorant so as to make their fun time do-able.
What I am seeing makes me sick.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Thursday May 18 2017, @10:18AM (2 children)
The point of OBD port simulation is to fool the casual person that sneaks a OBD dongle-car-killer or remote control into the port when you don't see. But the simulation will make that attempt fruitless and the person doing will not realize until it's way too late. I do not think it's easy to fool a repair shop, but I can realize the utility of doing so.
I thought that maybe one could use the steer-by-wire for ones own purposes using cars that you own yourself. Not for nefarious purposes. If it's there one might as well make use of it.
And regarding laws. If the law is that citizens are to be abused then the government have no legitimacy and can be treated as such. It's not much difference to North Korea, they also have laws but they are only followed due to the use of force.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Thursday May 18 2017, @11:02AM (1 child)
I am pretty sure you can, if the car is already doing it. I do not have any experience doing this. My guess is the data is on the local bus, unencrypted.
About thwarting OBD hijacking attempts... maybe kill the OBD port by hiding a switch somewhere that opens up the data circuit? That way one can plug crap into the port and nothing can happen. The "switch" may be something like cutting the vehicle's OBD port wiring and splicing in a couple of DB25 connectors ( butchered old printer extension cable ) hidden where only you know where it is. Plug them together when you have OBD business to do. Anyone else attempting to use the port gets a dead socket to plug into. Its up to them to find where you hid the break in the line. Bonus points if you use two use different kinds of connectors and appropriate "patch cable" ( which you keep with your personal possessions ) so the uninitiated will have no idea whats going on or what plugs into what. But I seriously doubt your prankster will be sophisticated enough to warrant it unless you are a *really* high value target.
I believe most of us quite willingly follow law that is "real" law... some may even call it God's law ... there is a lot of law out there which is sound basic law and had been known of before Biblical days. And we get quite upset when others break that law.
There is also a lot of "law" out there which is nothing more than a wish-list havers use against the have-nots to protect one-sided business paradigms... and people honor that one due to use of force, but not willingly. And we cheer on those who break that law. When it gets bad enough, the people revolt and null out the bad "law", falling back to the "real" law.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Thursday May 18 2017, @11:59AM
One could up one on the OBD port by placing a microcontroller on the data wires so that the nefarious plug would manipulate a honeypot instead of the real thing. And report back to the evil doer that all is alright.
About the law. Once the moral basis for it is undermined. People will no longer care if their fellow man breaks it or even hint on how to do so without consequences. Same goes when the enforcer(s) wants help, know-nothing, see-nothing, hear-nothing etc except for the occasional tip that the dog in the neighbor village is probably guilty of cooking the books ;)