Photo: BMW
Carmakers are becoming more and more committed to a cabin transformation that would eventually turn vehicles into living rooms on wheels.
And while many expect tech giants to spearhead this push, especially as Apple and Xiaomi are already working on their cars, BMW seems to be the pioneer of a trend that's rapidly gaining traction.
The German carmaker has signed a deal with TiVo to bring the video media platform to its cars, essentially providing passengers with access to the content they would otherwise enjoy in their living rooms.
News, movies, and media libraries will go live in BMW cars later this year. The BMW 5 Series will be the first to get the new service by the end of 2023, but the carmaker says it's already working on expanding it to further models. Additional information will be shared closer to the launch date.
The expansion of video platforms in the automotive market goes hand in hand with investments in larger screens. Displays already replace most buttons in new-generation cars, and future models will push this new trend even further.
BMW is one of the companies focusing heavily on this strategy, as the Theatre Screen on the 7 Series provides rear-seat passengers with a gigantic 31-inch screen. The display supports an 8K resolution, and thanks to a Fire TV stick, it also provides access to media content, including movies.
Needless to say, TiVo's debut in the automotive market signals a new chapter in the battle for the infotainment screen. Carmakers themselves are trying to make the most of the dashboard screens, both in terms of features and revenue opportunity.
General Motors's latest decision is among the most controversial on this front, as the company wants to drop Android Auto and CarPlay support and go all-in on Android Automotive. Technically speaking, Android Automotive is a more advanced platform that could provide users with new capabilities otherwise not available on Android Auto and CarPlay. Google, for example, is bringing YouTube to Android Automotive, essentially addressing the need for media streaming in the cabin.
YouTube is Google's big bet on this side of the market, especially as rival services seem to focus more on the automotive expansions.
On the other hand, the adoption of Android Automotive is making slow progress. BMW itself plans to adopt the operating system but wants to stick with a version that doesn’t include Google's services. This way, the German carmaker wants to avoid giving in to Google, as adopting GAS would essentially provide the search giant with access to the entire set of vehicle data. The first BMW models with Android Automotive and a custom app store are expected to see the daylight at some point next year.
The German carmaker has signed a deal with TiVo to bring the video media platform to its cars, essentially providing passengers with access to the content they would otherwise enjoy in their living rooms.
News, movies, and media libraries will go live in BMW cars later this year. The BMW 5 Series will be the first to get the new service by the end of 2023, but the carmaker says it's already working on expanding it to further models. Additional information will be shared closer to the launch date.
The expansion of video platforms in the automotive market goes hand in hand with investments in larger screens. Displays already replace most buttons in new-generation cars, and future models will push this new trend even further.
BMW is one of the companies focusing heavily on this strategy, as the Theatre Screen on the 7 Series provides rear-seat passengers with a gigantic 31-inch screen. The display supports an 8K resolution, and thanks to a Fire TV stick, it also provides access to media content, including movies.
Needless to say, TiVo's debut in the automotive market signals a new chapter in the battle for the infotainment screen. Carmakers themselves are trying to make the most of the dashboard screens, both in terms of features and revenue opportunity.
General Motors's latest decision is among the most controversial on this front, as the company wants to drop Android Auto and CarPlay support and go all-in on Android Automotive. Technically speaking, Android Automotive is a more advanced platform that could provide users with new capabilities otherwise not available on Android Auto and CarPlay. Google, for example, is bringing YouTube to Android Automotive, essentially addressing the need for media streaming in the cabin.
YouTube is Google's big bet on this side of the market, especially as rival services seem to focus more on the automotive expansions.
On the other hand, the adoption of Android Automotive is making slow progress. BMW itself plans to adopt the operating system but wants to stick with a version that doesn’t include Google's services. This way, the German carmaker wants to avoid giving in to Google, as adopting GAS would essentially provide the search giant with access to the entire set of vehicle data. The first BMW models with Android Automotive and a custom app store are expected to see the daylight at some point next year.
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