Automotive alliance partners with Google for in-car Android
- Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi sign global multi-year agreement with Google to equip vehicles with intelligent infotainment systems
- The Alliance will utilize Android, world’s most popular operating system, to offer customers a new array of services including Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Google Play Store
- These services will be combined with Alliance Intelligent Cloud based remote software upgrades and vehicle diagnostics
Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi have announced a technology partnership with Google to embed the Android operating system into their vehicles from 2021.
Under the technology partnership, vehicles sold by the Alliance members in many markets will use Android to provide turn-by-turn navigation with Google Maps, access automotive apps on the Google Play Store and have the ability to answer calls and texts, control media, find information, and manage vehicle functions via voice using the built in Google Assistant.
The Alliance, whose member companies sold 10.6 million vehicles in 200 markets last year, will integrate Google applications and services into infotainment and cloud-based systems to enhance the experience for customers of Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors brands. 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. The plan also involves the launch of 12 new zero-emission electric vehicles, new autonomous-driving technologies and the ongoing rollout of the Alliance Intelligent Cloud.
The Alliance Intelligent Cloud will provide next-generation infotainment systems with secure connectivity by offering a platform to integrate data management, infotainment systems and to facilitate over-the- air upgrades and remote diagnostics in Alliance member-company vehicles.
Says Hadi Zablit, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi:
“Our partnership with Google will offer owners of our vehicles rich user experiences that are currently available only outside the vehicle or, to a limited extent, by connecting an Android device to supported vehicles. We are building powerful connected and seamless on-board/off-board experiences into our vehicles in addition to the features of Google applications and services that many users are accustomed to, including Google Maps, the Google Assistant and the Google Play Store.”
Adds Kal Mos, Global Vice President of Alliance Connected Vehicles at Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi:
“With the integration of the Android platform into our infotainment systems, we 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.”
