Android-powered Roewe 350 motorcar hits production line, we reserve space in our garage
By Darren Murph 
posted March 18th 2010 10:52AM
posted March 18th 2010 10:52AM
We aren't exactly hopeful that the Roewe 350 will ever ship stateside, but given that our Volt pre-order is still in limbo (and we're not about to lease a Tesla Roadster), we can't help but look longingly at this gem. Hailed as the first Android-powered automobile, this here car has just hit the production line, and it's expected to make its formal debut next month at the Beijing Auto Show. The 350 was based on the N1 concept shown last year, and we're told that the integrated DVD / GPS navigation system will run on Google's Android (v2.1) operating system. As you'd expect, the system will be able to pull down real-time traffic reports and figure out the most effective route from point A to point [Thanks, Ash]
"No internet connection; Too bad you didnt bring a map"
@Mr w00t More than likely it would preload the entire route.
Cyanogenmod = +30hp
How will it boot up? Hopefully stay in sleep with battery power.
That's actually pretty cool
So now the GPS/DVD system "powers" the car?
@NameIsDavid
haha, I thought the same thing.
Hopefully they skin the damn music player
In before comments about the car's projected ability to copy and paste.
What the heck is Roewe?
@Pork
The Chinese bought all of Rover's property a few years ago, but they couldn't buy the rights to the Rover brand. They also can't pronounce it so they renamed it to Roewe.
@(Unverified) Mr. Informed, SAIC does own all of MG's IP, they pick something that sounds better in Chinese cuz Rover has zero brand recognition over there.
@hmmwv
The use of the Roewe name is because SAIC's could not buy the rights to the Rover marque from BMW due to Ford Motor Company exercising their option on the name.
In 08, Ford reached agreement with Tata Motors to include the Rover marque when they sold their Jaguar Land Rover operations to them
Will this get the 2.1 update?
@GenericMessage RTFP. It has 2.1 from the start.
Now, how much flash memory does it have for apps is my question...
Good, I want it to COPY & PASTE ME from point A to point B. Teleportation? YES
Ha, that's funny - the previous concept car was dubbed the N1.
i love android.
but in a car...?
im pretty sure android doesnt regulate the engine...
overclock app = nitrous ;)
skynet
@walkera helicopter
yah, but what's the safety rating? Don't chinese cars fold the driver in half and catch on fire if you hit a curb? (j/k)
"Android-powered Roewe 350"
You lied to me to get me to read this blog!
Wait, I should be used to that...
Ohhhh, we are talking about tech geeks... ok Darren, just want to make sure: You realize that the radio does not run or power your car? Yeah? Ok, just making sure you knew that.
(I kid, I know what the title meant, but sometimes you guys try way too hard to be funny).
I hope it doesn't force close while i'm driving somewhere important =[
Do you need a task manager to recover your MPH if you left your CD player, Air Con Sat Nav running in the background without realising it?
Laugh all you want, I'm heading in this direction w/ my career.
I'll be developing Android CARPC type applications and hopefully increase my tax bracket.
@HDD okay, so you seem like you've studied this. Why can't we buy Android-powered head units *right now*? It seems like such an obvious application.
@starkruzr
Mainly becoz Android is open src and community driven and does not meet the 10 year guaranteed maintainence requirement of most mainstream auto manufacturers. This issue cropped up before and not that Google is not trying hard enough.
@naashak
Wrong. Where'd you pull that out of? He said "head unit", which we all know are not supported at all.
@thesafetylemur
Many of the headunits now are running Windows CE. A perfect example are all the new Pioneer AVIC series In Dash units. They're all running Windows CE Core and are based on ARM architecture. In fact, many people have hacked them to boot different OS.
It is just a matter of time when the OS is switched over to Android.
Awesome! Whenever I see an ugly car on the road, I think to myself, "If that thing runs on a phone OS, I'm buying it."