Android is coming to a car near you in the near future.
Google has partnered with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance to embed the Android operating system in vehicles sold by these brands, with the rollout set to begin in 2021.
The world’s most popular operating system will provide turn-by-turn navigation with Google Maps, plus access to a rich ecosystem of automotive apps on the Google Play Store.
It will have the ability to answer calls and texts, control media, find information, and manage vehicle functions with voice using the built in Google Asistant.
The Alliance, whose member companies last year sold 10.6 million vehicles in 200 markets, will integrate Google applications and services into infotainment and cloud-based systems to enhance the experience for customers.
While a range of Alliance vehicles will share the Android platform, each brand will have flexibility to create a unique customer interface and specific features on top of the common Android platform.
The infotainment partnership forms part of Alliance moves to equip more vehicles with connectivity and cloud-based services as part of its Alliance 2022 mid-term plan.
Under the plan, Renault-Nissan- Mitsubishi is targeting increased sales of more than 14 million vehicles a year by the end of 2022.
The plan also involves the launch of 12 new zero-emission electric vehicles, new autonomous-driving technologies and the ongoing rollout of the Allliance Intelligent Cloud.
By combining the latest technologies from the Alliance and Google, the Alliance member companies’ vehicles will have one of the most intelligent infotainment systems in the market.
The system will also be compatible with devices running other operating systems, such as Apple iOS.
Global Vice President of Alliance Connected Vehicles at Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, Kal Mos, said with the integration of the Android platform, the alliance are adding a new level of intelligence to our connected vehicles.
“In the future, the Google Assistant, which employs Google’s leading AI technology, can become the main way customers interact with their vehicles, hands-free,” he said.
“With Google Maps and the Google Assistant embedded in Alliance infotainment systems, our customers will have some of the most advanced AI based applications at their fingertips.
“And with in-vehicle access to the Google Play Store, our customers will enjoy an open and secure ecosystem of Android apps engineered for vehicles.”
CHECKOUT: Volvo jumps into bed with Google
CHECKOUT: Google knows who drives what