Photo: Polestar
As compared to Android Auto, Android Automotive allows for deeper integration of Google services into the car. And at the end of the day, this means the driver is provided with a more straightforward experience whenever it comes down to features like navigation, listening to music, making voice calls, and starting recently, controlling certain capabilities of their cars.
Google Assistant is getting a major facelift on Android Automotive, and thanks to remote actions, it’s capable of starting the air conditioning system or unlocking the vehicle doors.
It’s all possible thanks to a Google Assistant-enabled device, as the remote connection to the vehicle makes it possible for drivers to do all these things with nothing but voice commands.
The new capabilities also include checking the battery status, and it goes without saying this is something that comes in very handy given the growing adoption of zero-emission vehicles. Users can therefore ask Google Assistant to tell the battery level of their cars when preparing to go to work, therefore being up-to-date with the status of the car without turning to any other application.
Polestar 2 will be the first model to get the new capabilities, with the parent company explaining that the rollout will begin in the United States. The rest of the markets, however, will receive it at a later time, though no further specifics were provided on this front.
It’s not difficult to see why Android Automotive is slowly becoming Google’s big bet in the automotive industry in the long term. As compared to Android Auto, where all the features are powered by a connected mobile device and whose role is to mirror the UI on the larger display in the cabin, Android Automotive powers a deeper integration of Google services in the car.
This eventually means that Google is also getting access to more vehicle data, something that not all carmakers seem to be big fans of.
Not a long time ago, BMW also decided to embrace Android Automotive, though the company didn’t agree to give in to Google. So instead of the licensed version of the OS, the German carmaker decided to use the open-source sibling, which doesn’t include the Google services that would provide the tech company with access to vehicle data.
This gives BMW more control over everything that Android Automotive does in its cars. The company won’t be offering the Google Play Store either, so all apps will be published in a third-party store that will come pre-loaded with the cars where the OS is installed. The first BMW models projected to come with this custom version of Android Automotive are projected to see daylight next year, with more information to be shared at a later time.
It’s all possible thanks to a Google Assistant-enabled device, as the remote connection to the vehicle makes it possible for drivers to do all these things with nothing but voice commands.
The new capabilities also include checking the battery status, and it goes without saying this is something that comes in very handy given the growing adoption of zero-emission vehicles. Users can therefore ask Google Assistant to tell the battery level of their cars when preparing to go to work, therefore being up-to-date with the status of the car without turning to any other application.
Polestar 2 will be the first model to get the new capabilities, with the parent company explaining that the rollout will begin in the United States. The rest of the markets, however, will receive it at a later time, though no further specifics were provided on this front.
It’s not difficult to see why Android Automotive is slowly becoming Google’s big bet in the automotive industry in the long term. As compared to Android Auto, where all the features are powered by a connected mobile device and whose role is to mirror the UI on the larger display in the cabin, Android Automotive powers a deeper integration of Google services in the car.
This eventually means that Google is also getting access to more vehicle data, something that not all carmakers seem to be big fans of.
Not a long time ago, BMW also decided to embrace Android Automotive, though the company didn’t agree to give in to Google. So instead of the licensed version of the OS, the German carmaker decided to use the open-source sibling, which doesn’t include the Google services that would provide the tech company with access to vehicle data.
This gives BMW more control over everything that Android Automotive does in its cars. The company won’t be offering the Google Play Store either, so all apps will be published in a third-party store that will come pre-loaded with the cars where the OS is installed. The first BMW models projected to come with this custom version of Android Automotive are projected to see daylight next year, with more information to be shared at a later time.
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