Support for Toyota Android Auto would be an agreement reached

Toyota is finally adding support for Android Auto to its dashboards, sources claiming that an agreement has been reached between Google and the Japanese automaker. The car company was one of the most resistant companies to allow smartphone manufacturers to colonize their infotainment touchscreen, only accepting Apple CarPlay support in January of this year.

Toyota's stated objection to systems such as CarPlay and Android Auto has always been safety. On the one hand, Toyota maintained, he was not necessarily convinced that smartphone-based systems could avoid distracting drivers. At the same time, there were also persistent concerns about issues such as the confidentiality of pilots' data.

It thawed, at least for Apple CarPlay, earlier this year. Toyota has announced that it will support the Apple system first on the Avalon 2019, its luxury sedan, before CarPlay extends to other models in the lineup. However, although the Avalon offers Qi wireless charging, it does not offer wireless CarPlay support, which remains a relative rarity in the industry.

Toyota's resistance to Android Auto, however, proved more stubborn. Earlier this year, the company's executives confirmed that the automaker was negotiating with Google for additional support for Android Auto, but persistent security concerns had prevented any announcement. immediate. However, no one would detail exactly these concerns.

Unlike Apple with CarPlay, Google takes a more open approach to what Android Auto can do. Third-party applications, for example, are more widely licensed, although Google has interface requirements that limit the amount of potentially distracting content that can be displayed on-screen in the car. In contrast, Apple retains much tighter control over CarPlay applications, allowing only third-party navigation titles – such as Google Maps – for example with the arrival of iOS 12 at the beginning of the month.

According to sources Bloomberg, the agreement of Toyota and Google could lead to an official announcement in October. A spokesman for the automaker declined to comment, but said Toyota has acknowledged that drivers want Android Auto support.

Toyota has been the biggest competitor of Android Auto so far, although the company has not been totally opposed to the integration of smartphones. In 2018, she announced that she would allow Amazon Alexa support in her infotainment system, for example, use the retailer's voice-controlled AI to stream music, control smart home devices, and respond to calls. general questions. Toyota also uses SmartDeviceLink, a competing platform developed by Ford to connect a phone to the dashboard.

What is not clear is whether, if the announcement of the Google deal should indeed happen, recent Toyota models could add Android Auto to a firmware update. Apple CarPlay support requires the latest version of the automaker's infotainment system, Entune 3.0, which leaves the chance to old vehicles. We do not even know if this will be compatible or if drivers will have to wait to buy a new Toyota to get support for Android Auto.