This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Personally, I still prefer Android Auto (i.e. phone projected onto car screen) to Android Automotive (Android built into the car infotainment system). My phone gets way more updates than my car, and it's cheaper to buy a new phone once it stops getting updates.
I have the same sentiment towards smart TVs vs plain old "dumb" TVs + a streamer.
Android Automotive (the car OS) does support phone projection (Android Auto and CarPlay).
From what I’ve seen in reviews of cars that have it, Automotive is pretty solid, and I’d take an EV that had it as long as CarPlay were an option. (So no GM for me).
They can’t gather data from my use of the built-in apps if I don’t use them.
Mines a dumb TV plugged to the HDMI port on an old laptop that has Linux and Plasma Bigscreen installed
I've been hearing a lot about this Linux thing. Should I switch?
Yes. Try Ubuntu. Some people keep bad mouthing it, but it’s the most approachable one for beginners, which is part of why it’s being criticized.
Use Mint. It's Ubuntu without the corpo BS.
Yeah
Yes, its great
it’s cheaper to buy a new phone once it stops getting updates.
Just wait a couple more years...
Most of the world doesn't buy the most expensive iPhone or Galaxy device every 1-2 years. There will always be less expensive models sold.
google is delighted to have the opportunity to know everything about what you do in your weird car
Mozilla calls cars from 25 automakers 'data privacy nightmares on wheels'
Car manufacturers are way ahead of them. I guess in that case both companies will receive your data.
Ahead of them?
Honestly, it's a far superior approach for European car makers than developing subpar software, pouring millions into it, and marketing it as a grand design while failing to get even the basics right.
Strategically, for Volkswagen, it's crucial to test and consider using Android Automotive as an alternative to their proprietary software to remain competitive.
However, data privacy should not be overlooked.
Oh you know it will not be overlooked
Laughs hysterically in Google. Oh my God, I'm going to have cramps. What would Google possibly want with massive data dumps from people buying new porsches??
However, data privacy should not be overlooked.
Yeah, well, you're driving around with your mobile ~~tracking device~~ phone anyway, so there's not much more privacy invasion by coupling it to your car.
"I'm already wet from the rain, might as well dive into this swamp"
People are already fully submerged
So you're considering the threat to privacy by "smart" cars worse than phones? How so? The latter are as bad as it gets.
The data gathered by a smart phone is limited to what you do on the smart phone.
The data available via CANBUS isn't something that is available basically anywhere else, and has the benefit of probably half a dozen cameras pointed at you, and your garage and house, and every person you drive by on the street and every place you go. They could determine if you saw a billboard on your drive to work. They could ID you walking into an abortion clinic across state lines or hear you picking up your prescription at the pharmacy.
Your car (especially one marketed with 'smart' features) is basically a giant collection of sensors and cameras. I'm not saying that it's worse, but adding all that data in with all your other data certainly IS worse.
Not that I was buying a Porsche anyway, but I wouldn't buy any car with built in Google apps.
I have to say, considering how Google half-asses things I'd have no confidence in this product. That said, a half-assed effort by Google is still probably better software than the full-ass software effort by carmakers.
My real dream is to get these things fully modular. Let my lift up the touchscreen to access a cavity where a little infotainment-SBC is wired into a couple of USB ports and a mini DisplayPort. What's it got to run? Audio, touchscreen, GPS, phone-over-Bluetooth? That stuff is well-known. Basically the only place where I expect standard interfaces to fall on their face is climate control. As an API fallback, have the built-in car-computer run a private web-server for controlling the car's non-standard hardware. Then just have the SBC use a browser for those screens. Only API needed is "what URIs do I show for what features like climate or trip-odometer or whatever screens can't be standardized at the infotainment level".
My worry is that google once obtaining the monopoly/duopoly, will do what they did with android, kill all of its "open" values in the name of security and push their own services
Car components talk via CAN bus. There are many aftermarket head units that includes CAN bus support and has presets to talk and retrieve information from multiple car models (climate control, lights, speed, engine status, etc). The problem is, most cars manufactured in the past several years don't allow aftermarket head unit installation anymore, so you're basically stuck with whatever entertainment system the car manufacturer put in the car for the rest of the car's life.
Meanwhile GM is removing CarPlay and android auto so they can monetize the in-car experience
I swear to god I hope that move bites them in the ass hard
Don’t get excited. Android Auto and Android Automotive are not the same thing.
https://www.androidpolice.com/android-auto-vs-android-automotive-vs-google-automotive-services/
GM is using Automotive, too. Automotive is an opportunity for car manufacturers and Google to lock you down even more.
Ah fucking hell Fuck me
... By using android automotive and Google apps. The same thing Porsche just announced in this article.
I know Audi has been using Linux based infotainment systems for years now, so I can see VAG moving towards this as a way of reducing development costs. I just hope the implementation is better than what’s in Volvo cars because right now the customization sucks around it.
Just give me bluetooth audio.
Maybe this type of thing will keep Google from mothballing Android Auto, as they have been known to do with numerous other projects.
Android Automotive and Android Auto are different things. Google will ultimately abandon Auto in favor of Automotive because Google and car manufacturers will largely benefit from locking you down using Automotive.
Android Auto works like shit, that's all i know
Perhaps your car has poor Android Auto, but for me it works great. I bought an after market stereo which included wireless android auto. No more random disconnects when the usb-c cable is bumped. I turn my car on and within a few seconds my phone automatically connects. Its simple, does the job of giving me media control and maps from my phones, and at least on my 4 year old after market head unit runs real smooth.
Car manufacturers keep cheaping out in the wireless though. So dumb for what is probably $5 in additional costs.
Android Automotive is different: Android Auto streams from your phone, and Android Automotive is the car’s actual OS. If it’s not the cars OS it’s the infotainment center’s OS.
