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Android Automotive as a platform exists, technically, for years. The problem is that, compared to a smartphone, designing and building a car takes a lot of time. Google has had to wait these years to give the system an adequate introduction. After spending some time seeing it in the next Polestar 2 (an ell-electric vehicle), I think the wait was worth it: it looks like legitimate.
For centuries, we all say the same thing: "All I want is Google Maps on my car's infotainment screen." Android Auto has kept some of these promises, but the projected application is subject to performance issues, shifted voice functionality, and may look like a square peg in a round-hole solution for vehicles that do not look like they are doing. have clearly not been designed with touch interfaces. It is also often associated with small comic screens, giving the impression that the future is now and that the future has provided us with a heritage patch. Do not get me wrong, Auto is Great useful when it works properly, but it is rare that it looks like a native experience because of the confidence inherent in your smartphone. With the automobile, everything changes.
In the photo above, Google introduced the first Android Automotive concept at the I / O 2016 – it looks very different.
The Polestar 2 is probably the ideal backdrop for Google to make its debut in the automotive industry (and it will be the first Android car on the road), because Polestar is heavily invested in a minimalist and extremely avant-garde brand image. technology. The Spartan and Scandinavian interior is dominated by a huge 11 "touch screen mounted vertically in the center of the dashboard, which is largely free of physical buttons.This tablet screen controls vehicle settings, air conditioning, media and navigation – and is also fully responsive Communicate it simply, like your Android smartphone, and the Polestar 2 Android system will respond and execute your orders.
Google Maps on the Polestar 2 will offer an estimated usage fee when navigating to a destination.
Google has specifically designed a specially designed version of Maps for Automotive, with an interface designed to prioritize map visibility, make touch targets easy to reach, and include useful additional information, such as – in the case of Polestar 2 – how much The remaining charge of your vehicle will be reached when you reach your destination. This is the only example we have seen today of the auto industry integrating live vehicle data into a Google app, but according to Google, it will not be the last. Finding ways to make driving a little easier – for example, displaying charging stations that work with your car's type of pickup and availability – has been a key goal of platform development. , and with a product as vast and as powerful as Maps, I'm D bet that the possibilities are almost endless. The wizard will be able to perform commands such as stereo tuning, temperature control and possibly more functions in the future (this is the very first version, after all).
As for the "Internet connection" part, Google thought about it too: the automotive sector is designed to work without an Internet connection or even an associated Google account (you obviously lose custom features when you do not have it. do not). this). Things like browsing will require periodic updates (think monthly) of the cloud to keep maps up to date – so you will not be able to navigate indefinitely without connectivity – but Google promises that most basic functions such as voice commands will work Well, even if you do not do it. have a signal. Polestar, for one, said that all updates and connectivity to Google's built-in services such as Google Maps, Messaging, the Play Store and the Assistant (when Internet is needed to get results) are fully integrated into the MSRP for the life of the car. If you want the vehicle to use its mobile LTE connection to stream music or other content that contains a lot of data, a post-paid data package will be offered at launch (no rate available). Fortunately, Polestar says that you can use your phone as an access point to which the car can connect for such data. In theory, the fee package should not be necessary.
Spotify is working with Google to develop a car interface, illustrated above, for the automotive sector.
Automotive is also designed from the ground up to work with multiple displays and be highly customizable, allowing manufacturers to mark and design the appearance of the interface. Some may think that this will lead to fragmentation, but Google says that one of the main concerns of the automotive industry is to provide consistent and reliable updates to its partners. As cars become more and more digital, the concern about security increases – and Google applies its monthly protective coats for Android security. With regard to the fears of fragmentation, I must say that I did not feel very reassured. Google is already saying that the Fiat-Chrysler Group is an adopter of Android Automotive, but that it will not offer Google's services on its cars, just the underlying base platform. This is disturbing, and I wonder if Google service users will be the exception rather than the rule when it comes to the automobile in general.
Polestar, for his part, explained why he had chosen Google's product: Volvo (Polestar's parent company) was not able to execute maps, voice commands or other advanced keys in infotainment satisfactorily. It is really nice to hear that from a car manufacturer because many of them simply refuse to recognize that big tech companies have years ahead of that stuff, preferring instead to offer their customers the illusion of advanced technology that is actually three or four years old – and this was probably not very good at first (the I-Pace Jaguar and its touch screen notoriously defective or the Cadillac CUE system, so hated, come to mind). Polestar chose to launch completely on Android Automotive. While some people may not like virtual climate control and full-touch navigation, it's undeniable that Tesla has made the bar that its competitors must now aspire to. The Polestar 2 is not as extreme, I would say, because it has sturdy steering wheel controls and a few buttons near the gear selector – but it's pretty tight.
Looking at the demo, Automotive seemed extremely fast and responsive: the chips that fed it in the Polestar 2 had to be quite efficient because Spotify worked perfectly in the user interface. Since even Tesla's cars had been harangued for their performances until the beginning of the Model 3, it's nice to see what appears to be a car maker taking the input response and the speed of navigation seriously. software. It starts to count a lot more when the screen is used to control more and more critical functions of the vehicle, and I do not know about you, but I would be happy to add $ 500 on the displayed price of a car to switch to a high-end chipset, especially when this chipset now controls my vents.
The Polestar 2 – and Android Automotive with him – will make their American debut at the beginning of next year. The launch edition of the car will cost around $ 63,000 (less a $ 7,500 federal tax credit), with subsequent releases starting at around $ 55,000 (no tax credit). It will have an estimated range of 275 km and supports a fast charge of up to 150 kW.
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