Google is Pumping Some Much Needed Life into Android Auto
For a good while now, Google has been spreading its Android family beyond a series of handsets from different manufacturers. One of the company's key ventures was bringing Android to cars. Android Auto was designed as Google's answer to Apple CarPlay. However, to say that Google has let Android Auto fall behind the trend would be something of an understatement.
When it originally launched, Android Auto looked like a promising way to bring Android's biggest features to your car. At the same time, a number of car manufacturers announced their support for the platform. However, since then, those car manufacturers have fallen quiet and the Android Auto project appeared to have stalled, with no assistance from Google.
However, that all changed at Google I/O 2016, with the technology appearing to pump some new life into their wandering automotive platform.
That new lease of life came in the form of several new features for the platform, including an announcement that Android Auto would finally ditch the need for cables and work wirelessly. Google coupled that with integration from a host of new third party apps, including navigation favourite Waze to create a platform in Android Auto that everyone is now excited about once again, as reported by Mashable.
Google appear to be helping the Android Auto platform by better integrating it with the vehicles it's installed within. At launch, Android Auto appeared to be a pretty clear cut idea, it provided users with an interface to utilise their phone's navigation, music collection and make calls through the car's stereo. However, from the offset, users noticed a mysterious "OEM" tab that did little more than return the user to the car's dashboard. Well, that mysterious tab could just be the saviour of Android Auto.
Honda were the first manufacturer to provide a glimpse of exactly what the tab could be used for, demonstrating Android Auto being able to access the car's BlueLink suite, which entails a number of diagnostic features like gas mileage, braking habits and error code definitions. To anyone outside of the motor industry, they may not sound like the most exciting features to dabble around in, but they're a sure fire sign that Google are now actively looking to integrate their platform with the car itself.
Whilst Android Auto is undeniably a useful piece of kit for making calls, getting directions and listening to music whilst on the go, it becomes something altogether more exciting when its allowed to access the inner workings of the vehicle.
Things are looking up in terms of vehicle compatibility for Android Auto too. Auto News, Gear Heads and a number of other automotive sites have reported on more and more cars coming out in the next couple of years that have support for Android Auto built in, which is sure to grow excitement around the platform. If Google continue to expand their feature set for the platform like they have been doing, it should only attract more vehicle manufacturers to Android Auto as an alternative to building their own digital interface inside their cars.
Aside from that, as reported by the Verge, Google are also removing the need for a supporting car with Android Auto in the future. The inclusion of a version of Android Auto that runs directly off the phone without the need for a compatible car is a nice little nod to users who don't have the cash to splash on a new vehicle. At the same time, it's largely guaranteed to get more users on board with Android Auto.
Android Auto's current lack of progress isn't too much of a troubling issue when you take a look at the progress of the opposition, Apple Car Play. Apple appear to have largely stalled when it comes to their platform, which presents something of an opportunity for Google. The company need to work on developing Android Auto's feature set and getting it into more cars than Apple.
It's still early days for Android Auto, so it's difficult to be too pessimistic about the platform. If Google hadn't put Android Auto at the forefront of their recent announcements at I/O 2016 then the future of the platform would be worrying. However, for now, Google appears to be pumping some much needed life into Android Auto, the most promising smart car interface.
