Google tweaked Android last year to make the open source operating system attractive to automakers that want a customized, turn-key infotainment system. An Android in-car infotainment system was viewed, at the time, as just a concept.
Now it appears that at least one automaker is interested.
Google (GOOG) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCAU) announced Tuesday they will show off a Chrysler 300 sedan that uses the Android open source platform at CES, the annual consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. The collaboration aims to show off how an Android operating system might look and work in a vehicle—even if the automaker has its own infotainment system.
Android is integrated with FCA’s infotainment system called UConnect. This means Android’s universe of applications—including Google Assisant and Google Maps as well as Spotify and Pandora, should work seamlessly with UConnect.
“With Android, we are able to maintain our unique and intuitive Uconnect user interface, all while integrating our easy-to-use systems with Android’s features and ecosystem of applications,” said Chris Barman, head of electrical engineering at FCA.
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Google has been pushing deeper into automotive sector in the past 18 months, with the introduction of Android Auto and 7.0 Nougat, the newest version of Android that was released in 2016.
Android Auto and Android are different.
Android Auto is an in-car software platform that brings the functionality and feel of a smartphone to the vehicle’s central screen. Android Auto is in cars, but it’s not an operating system; it’s the HMI layer—or a secondary interface—that sits on top of the operating system.
Meanwhile, Android is a mobile operating system that runs on Linux and is designed for smartphones and tablets. The new version of Android called 7.0 Nougat was updated to be dashboard-friendly, meaning it makes it easy for automakers to use it to create an infotainment platform for their cars.
This new generation of Android is meant to allow automakers to more easily use the open source operating system to create a customized, turn-key infotainment system that controls HVAC, navigation, AM/FM, media streaming, Bluetooth calling and media streaming, multi-channel audio, and digital instrument clusters.
Patrick Brady, director of Android Engineering at Google, told Coins2Day last year that while Android Auto has a lot of advantages, it is limited because it’s just the HMI layer.
“Our goal is to create this seamless experience where you have connected services in the car,” Brady said in an interview in May 2016. ” We think ultimately you need to have a single software experience across the board, and that building Android into the car is a pretty great way to do that.”
