Google is laying the
groundwork for a version of Android that would be built directly into cars,
sources said, allowing drivers to enjoy all the benefits of the Internet
without even plugging in their smartphones.
The move is a major
step up from Google’s current Android Auto software, which comes with the
latest version of its smartphone operating system and requires a phone to be
plugged into a compatible car with a built-in screen to access streaming music,
maps and other apps.
Google, however, has
never provided details or a timeframe for its long-term plan to put Android
Auto directly into cars. The company now plans to do so when it rolls out the
next version of its operating system, dubbed Android M, expected in a year or
so, two people with knowledge of the matter said.
The sources declined
to be identified because they were not authorized to discuss the plans
publicly.
“It provides a much
stronger foothold for Google to really be part of the vehicle rather than being
an add-on,” said Thilo Koslowski, vice president and Automotive Practice Leader
of industry research firm Gartner, who noted that he was unaware of Google’s
latest plans in this area.
If successful, Android
would become the standard system powering a car’s entertainment and navigation
features, solidifying Google’s position in a new market where it is competing
with arch-rival Apple Inc. Google could also potentially access the valuable
trove of data collected by a vehicle.
Direct integration
into cars ensures that drivers will use Google’s services every time they turn
on the ignition, without having to plug in the phone. It could allow Google to
make more use of a car’s camera, sensors, fuel gauge, and Internet connections
that come with some newer car models.
Analysts said Google’s
plan could face various technical and business challenges, including convincing
automakers to integrate its services so tightly into their vehicles.
Google declined to
comment.
Technology companies
are racing to design appliances, wristwatches and other gadgets that connect to
the Internet. Automobiles are a particularly attractive prospect because
Americans spend nearly 50 minutes per day on average on their commute,
according to U.S. Census data.
Apple unveiled its
CarPlay software in March and Google has signed on dozens of companies,
including Hyundai and Nissan, for its Open Automotive Alliance and its Android
Auto product.
Android Auto and
CarPlay both currently “project” their smartphone apps onto the car’s screen.
Many of the first compatible cars with this smartphone plug-in functionality
are expected to be on display at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in Las
Vegas next month and to go on sale in 2015.
By building Android
into a car, Google’s services would not be at risk of switching off when a
smartphone battery runs out of power, for example.
“With embedded it’s
always on, always there,” said one of the sources, referring to the built-in
version of Android Auto. “You don’t have to depend on your phone being there
and on.”
Google’s software
could potentially connect to other car components, allowing, for example, a
built-in navigation system like Google Maps to detect when fuel is low and
provide directions to the nearest gas stations.
By tapping into the
car’s components, Google could also gain valuable information to feed its
data-hungry advertising business model. “You can get access to GPS location,
where you stop, where you travel everyday, your speed, your fuel level, where
you stop for gas,” one of the sources said.
But the source noted
that Android would need major improvements in performance and stability for
carmakers to adopt it. In particular, Android Auto would need to power-up
instantly when the driver turns the car on, instead of having to wait more than
30 seconds, as happens with many smartphones.
Automakers might also
be wary of giving Google access to in-car components that could raise safety
and liability concerns, and be reluctant to give Google such a prime spot in
their vehicles.
“Automakers want to
keep their brand appeal and keep their differentiation,” said Mark Boyadjis, an
analyst with industry research firm IHS Automotive. “Automakers don’t want to
have a state of the industry where you get in any vehicle and it’s just the
same experience wherever you go.”
