Daimler decided to integrate Android – Kommersant

German carmaker Daimler is going this year to join the Open Road Union, which integrates the Android operating system in cars. Increasing the compatibility of automotive equipment with smartphones – one of the areas of general computerization of cars. In Google alliance has created several dozen automakers own system integration of mobile technology in cars introduced last year and Apple.

This year, the German automaker Daimler is going to join Google created the Open Road Union (Open Automotive Alliance, OAA) and begin to integrate Android operating system in their cars. This is with reference to the representative of Daimler said on Saturday the German automotive newspaper Automobilwoche. Google created the OAA in January last year. The purpose of the union is to integrate Android into cars and adaptation of equipment based on the Linux operating system for use in the car. Initially, the Union than Google entered automakers GM, Honda, Audi and Hyundai, and Technology Corporation Nvidia. Later, during the past year to the OAA joined by two dozen brands, including Volkswagen, Subaru, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Renault, Ford and Chevrolet. Now Alliance includes 28 automakers. Last summer, Google introduced the software Android Auto, a special version of the operating system for the car. Last week, the company reported that car owners can start to install Android Auto on their cars, and integrate it with mobile devices based on Android. In the future, Android Auto involves the use of smart phones while driving without using their hands and access to maps, e-mail and other services with in-car devices. One of the areas of development Google – creating the possibility of information transfer on-board computer of the car via a smartphone with voice commands.

Car Integration with mobile devices – one of the directions of the total computerization of the car. According to the company SBD, the number of so-called connected cars (Connected Cars, ie vehicles connected to the Internet) will grow from 5.4 million in 2012 to 36 million in 2018, when the connection will be up to a third of cars sold. A year ago, Apple Inc. introduced its system CarPlay, also provides for the integration of Apple devices to the vehicle computer, allows you to control the gadget without using their hands.

class="b-article__text"> Automakers worried about data protection in the integration of the car with mobile devices. Automobilwoche quoted a representative of Daimler, who said that particularly important for us is the question of data protection, “We hope that the integration of smartphones Google will not, for example, to access information about filling the fuel tank or to request GPS-data from the vehicle if the driver and already transferred the data from your device connected to the car. ” Because of difficulties with the data protection is not all automakers are ready to join this system. For example, the German automaker BMW is not going to join in the OAA. Director of Development Automobilwoche BMW Claus Froehlich said: “We deal with cooperation with Google, we are not prepared to make available the data of our customers. Collaboration with companies that use data without describing the exact mechanism of their use, it is impossible for us ».

Ian Christmas