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Google To Take On Apple's CarPlay 126

Posted by Unknown Lamer from the aux-input-not-cool-enough dept.
cartechboy (2660665) writes with news that Google is working on software to complete with Apple's CarPlay car dashboard software: Google is set to unveil its own automotive operating system known internally as Google Auto Link. The search giant plans to unveil its system at a software developer conference this month. Interestingly, Auto Link is the first production developed in conjunction with the Open Automotive Alliance, a group of companies including Audi, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, NVIDIA, and Google itself. Like CarPlay, Auto Link won't be an "embedded" system, rather, a "projected" one--an operating system that uses a driver's own smartphone operating system. We'll obviously learn details soon enough, but for now, we are left to wonder whether it'll be Apple or Google that ends up owning the automotive market.
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Google To Take On Apple's CarPlay More

Google To Take On Apple's CarPlay

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  • Answer: Both (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Que_Ball ( 44131 ) on Wednesday June 18, 2014 @10:53AM (#47262773)
    Why would it have to be exclusive?

    Car makers can simply support both protocols in their built in systems and whatever device you bring just pairs up with it.

    Why would an automaker want to exclude potential customers by only supporting one method or the other is the question you need to ask.  Unless Apple or Google is subsidising the cost of the car they just want to make the most attractive package possible and sell more cars.

    • Re: (Score:1, Troll)

      by sosume ( 680416 )

      Neither please. Choosing between a big brother-like ad-riddled OS from Google vs a severely restricted vendor lock-in from Apple? I'd rather run my car on Windows than either of these.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by torkus ( 1133985 )

        Can't. Resist. Can't....
        Your insurance is going to suck when they hear your car crashes almost every single day. ...

        Also, why limit it in general? Assuming Google and Apple (and others) don't come up with a stupidly complex, locked-down, restricted connectivity method why could't the mfgs support anything using an open/common standard?

        In reality only iOS and Android have the market share to make that feasible...but MS will likely throw a ton of money to get themselves included (oh wait, Sync? Derp what a

        • Thats the hilarious part, MS had the opportunity to have a HUGE lead here, and they squander it with partnering and playing the car manufacturers games.

        • Also, why limit it in general? Assuming Google and Apple (and others) don't come up with a stupidly complex, locked-down, restricted connectivity method why could't the mfgs support anything using an open/common standard?

          I don't know about Google but with AirPlay, AirDrop, Facetime, Dock connector, Lightning connector, iMessage, etc... Apple aren't much a fan of open/common standards for inter-operability.

      • Re:Answer: Both (Score:4, Insightful)

        by Alan Shutko ( 5101 ) on Wednesday June 18, 2014 @11:41AM (#47263283) Homepage

        It's a protocol, not an OS. Vendors won't be running Android or iOS inside their cars. They'll just be able to talk to the device you plug in or pair.

        • Vendors won't be running Android or iOS inside their cars.

          It's not inconceivable that the car will run Android, but also function as a receiver for your more updated and powerful device. That way you'd still have some kind of functionality if you forgot your phone, or for that matter, still used a dumbphone.

      • Neither please. Choosing between a big brother-like ad-riddled OS from Google vs a severely restricted vendor lock-in from Apple? I'd rather run my car on Windows than either of these.

        You don't want that.

        I'm not a Microsoft hater... I'm one of the few that think Win 8.1 is alright. But I *now* am not the biggest fan of the Microsoft "MyFordTouch" on my Ford Edge.

        The Navigation system is nice, I wouldn't trade that in for the world.

        But outside of GPS the Microsoft MFT system is buggy and crashes, and they failed to deliver on a heavily-advertised feature for MFT. It crashes about once-per-month, during which time while driving I lose a lot of climate-control / GPS / entertainment functi

        • Meanwhile they were advertising how the MFT would do this that and the other thing... and failed to deliver.

          Some hungry lawyers must be spinning up a class-action suit by now, right?

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by mjwx ( 966435 )

          Neither please. Choosing between a big brother-like ad-riddled OS from Google vs a severely restricted vendor lock-in from Apple? I'd rather run my car on Windows than either of these.

          You don't want that.

          For something as simple as my car stereo, I want something simpler than Windows, Android or IOS. Something like QNX that is designed to run on low powered hardware (and I mean even more low powered than ARM), something designed to do very few jobs but do them well. I dont need a general purpose OS that locks me into someone's distribution channel.

          When I bought my Nissan S15 I replaced the original 2002 CD player modern one. I could have gone for a double DIN android infotainment system with all the bell

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by LWATCDR ( 28044 )

      exactly.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) *

      Just use MirrorLink. Supports both Android and iOS. It's somewhat open and based on VNC, so should be easily supportable by almost any device. Mirrors the screen, supports multitouch control, feeds though GPS from the car's receiver.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mjwx ( 966435 )

      Why would it have to be exclusive?

      Car makers can simply support both protocols in their built in systems and whatever device you bring just pairs up with it.

      The simple answer is neither.

      Most car manufacturers will support neither protocol because it interferes with their proprietary protocols and proprietary operating systems that cost the suckers... erm I mean valued customers money to upgrade.

      Auto manufacturers dont care about customers. Their wants or needs are immaterial, what matters is getting them shell out as much as possible before the planned obsolescence features kick in and then getting them to buy a new car without breaking any laws (well, an

  • car play more than just for cars (Score:5, Insightful)

    by zr ( 19885 ) on Wednesday June 18, 2014 @10:54AM (#47262781)

    iphone is a keyboard and a tv-set away from being a full-fledged computer for 99% of the population.

    • iphone is a keyboard and a tv-set away from being a full-fledged computer for 99% of the population.

      Actually.... it isn't, not anymore You can connect a Bluetooth keyboard to an iPhone and there is a HDMI connector available.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... [youtube.com]
      The phone desktop gets projected to the TV without changing the aspect ratio which is rather rudimentary and you can only interact with it through the keyboard and the touch screen on the device. I'd say what's missing is mainly a decent TV/Monitor mode for the iOS desktop and a touch screen display device capable of sending touch and gesture feedback

    • Really this is true of any $100+ tablet/phone.
      Pretty amazing.

  • So this is basically a smartphone app to feed a Bluetooth audio stream to the car's audio system, which is designed exactly for this anyway and people already do with their phones.

    Got it. Project an interface -- project away and wait for the lawsuits you have no idea about but the automotive industry does.

  • Mirrorlink (Score:4, Insightful)

    by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) * on Wednesday June 18, 2014 @11:00AM (#47262863) Homepage Journal

    Do we really need another standard when we already have MirrorLink? It works fine, allows the phone to display a special "car mode" homescreen, charges... What more do we need?

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Do we really need another standard when we already have MirrorLink? It works fine, allows the phone to display a special "car mode" homescreen, charges... What more do we need?

      For starters, Google can't gather information about you if you're using MirrorLink.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by LWATCDR ( 28044 )

      I would like to see more than mirror link.
      I would love to have an option for the phone to use a GPS built into the car and the antenna. In theory it should be better than the tiny one they have to fit in your phone. Also it would be good if could have access to the AM, FM, and Satellite radio systems and can control them.
      I would also like to see it have access to the things like MPG data.

      • I would love to have an option for the phone to use a GPS built into the car and the antenna.

        Android can already do that, because Android can already use a bluetooth GPS.

        Also it would be good if could have access to the AM, FM, and Satellite radio systems and can control them.

        You think that would be good, but in reality it would be annoying. It's nice to have that stuff have its own controls, particularly a volume knob.

        Volume buttons are the devil.

        I would also like to see it have access to the things like MPG data.

        Android can already do that, because Android can already use a bluetooth OBD-II interface [blueobd.com].

        In both the GPS and OBD-II cases, you can bet that the manufacturer would charge you more than you'd pay to get the functionality from a third party.

        • About $20 is what it takes to get a fair Bluetooth ODB2 scanner and a copy of Torque Pro for your Android phone.

          Pays for itself the first time you don't have to drive to AutoZone to get your next CEL read.

          • About $20 is what it takes to get a fair Bluetooth ODB2 scanner and a copy of Torque Pro for your Android phone.

            Sadly, the $20 bluetooth scanner won't read the k-line in my audi

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by LWATCDR ( 28044 )

          Of course it is all possible but it is not at the level of just works for most people.
          "You think that would be good, but in reality it would be annoying. It's nice to have that stuff have its own controls, particularly a volume knob.

          Volume buttons are the devil."
          So wouldn't it be cool if Android could read the volume knob and even use it and the other buttons that the car uses?

          "In both the GPS and OBD-II cases, you can bet that the manufacturer would charge you more than you'd pay to get the functionality f

  • I bought a Mountek nGroove Snap [amazon.co.uk] car mount; Sits inside the CD slot of your stereo, holds smart phones and small tablets up to 7" using magnets and an adhesive-attached metal plate. You need to adjust it every few days, but it only takes a few seconds to do and is rock-solid afterwards.

  • BlackBerry (Score:2, Funny)

    by ArhcAngel ( 247594 )

    we are left to wonder whether it'll be Apple or Google that ends up owning the automotive market.

    Well Apple's CarPlay is run on top of BlackBerry's QNX Car OS as are the majority of current in dash systems so for now BlackBerry is still #1.

    • Re:BlackBerry (Score:5, Informative)

      by the computer guy nex ( 916959 ) on Wednesday June 18, 2014 @11:08AM (#47262957)
      "Well Apple's CarPlay is run on top of BlackBerry's QNX"

      CarPlay is a protocol. CarPlay can be run on top of any Operating System. Google's old idea was to have each manufacturer fork Android for their own version of an entertainment system. Google is changing course to follow Apple's lead on creating a protocol instead.
  • > "We'll obviously learn details soon enough, but for now, we are left to wonder whether it'll be Apple or Google that ends up owning the automotive market." Or BlackBerry who currently is the dominant player?

    Ford switches to QNX. [computerworld.com]

  • Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Wednesday June 18, 2014 @11:15AM (#47263011)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Maybe Google and apple know this about you, and also realize that you aren't their target market for this particular development...
      That's right millennial, it isn't always about you... Some times it is about Gen X, Y, or the Boomers...

      Better still, Gen X and the boomers have disposable income, and have demonstrated their ability to dispose of it for the most frivolous of items...

      So you know that there is a reason behind what I'm saying when I say SHUT UP DIRTY HIPPIE! the grown ups are talking about how to

      • Better still, Gen X and the boomers have disposable income, and have demonstrated their ability to dispose of it for the most frivolous of items...

        That is true only for a tiny subset of them. The rest are in massive debt like everyone else.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Wovel ( 964431 )

          WTF is with all this generation naming crap. It is silly. When all we could come up with was Generation X we should have stopped.Now we have Millenials. WTF is a Millenial? The age range (according to Wikipedia) is people around 13 to 35 (Other sites place the range as 22-32 which seems a lot more reasonable). How does that mean anything? They have nothing at all in common. The GP post referred to Millennial and Generation Y as two different things. Everywhere else says they are the same thing. Which

          • Just because the goofy GP can't pay his bills and prefers public transportation is an anecdote not a trend.

            Right, I agree with that. But I also disagree that a lot of people have a lot of money. A small handful of people have a lot of money. A lot of people have a little money. Still more people have basically no money, and almost all of these people have a lot of debt. We've seen that trends in the USA are towards efficiency. People are buying less PCs than they used to, and more pocket-sized devices. But people like to buy new stuff, they would buy new PCs even if they don't need them if they were bleeding mon

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

      I dont know about other slashdotters, but Millenials like myself cant afford a brand new car, end of discussion. Years of college loans have ruined our credit score and what little we are saving is going directly toward maintaining the vehicle we already unfortunately own. For a bit less than a hundred dollars though, I can get a used car stereo and a wiring kit that lets me play music from a USB stick and over BlueTooth from my phone. If i cant afford that, I can just put my ear buds in.

      You don't need a n

    • I don't need it, so no one does.

      FTFY

      Just because you're not the target market doesn't mean others aren't. And while public transit is a nice idea, it isn't practical for everyone. The fact is, most of the US urban centers were built with personal transportation in mind, not public transportation, so cars make the most sense for the most people, and automated cars seems to be the future there. As such, getting into this market seems to make a lot of sense.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by Wovel ( 964431 )

      College loans have very little impact on your credit score unless you are not making payments...

    • It's pretty foolish to take on large amounts of debt to fund college, especially those who end up going to middling universities or major in degrees that aren't going to land them $60K/yr plus salaries.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Uberbah ( 647458 )

        It's pretty foolish to take on large amounts of debt to fund college

        Then you don't go to college unless your parents are well off enough to pay the bill. Which is a feature, not a bug, for some people.

        • That's one way, but there are other options...if people really want to force it

          Go on scholarship, even if the school is not your top choice.
          Go to community college and live at home, then transfer after two years to a local university...and still live at home if you can.
          Get a job that will pay your tuition while you go to school part time (many will)
          Get a job and pay your own tuition while you go to school part time
          Join the military so they will fund your education

          Anyways...most people shouldn't be going to

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by Uberbah ( 647458 )

            Go on scholarship

            Doesn't come close to paying for tuition + living expenses. Even athletes with full rides take on student debt to support themselves, since they can't have jobs and aren't paid for putting asses in the seats. The kids selling pop corn and hot dogs in the concessions stands do, though.

            Go to community college

            Which blocks you from having a high level career as a doctorate in science, engineering, or medicine. Which again, is a feature for Social Darwinists - gotta keep the riff raff out.

            li

  • Like it does with the cars themselves. Not.

  • we are left to wonder whether it'll be Apple or Google that ends up owning the automotive market

    Well QNX is still the #1 embedded system, and owned by Blackberry. They've demo'd full automotive interfaces (including dashboard, not just entertainment) and, I'm led to understand, CarPlay is currently running atop QNX - I doubt that ios or osx or a variant would be taken up by any car maker as an embedded system.

    Regardless, wasn't there a recent survey that basically concluded that most Driver's really wanted car manufacturers to stop buggering around with in car entertainment - leave it at audio, navi

  • A "projected" OS sounds dumb to me. If you just want to get music from your phone to your stereo, then AD2P (bluetooth) works fine. For maps and other stuff, the phone can have a holster.

    What I (and most people I know) want, is a stereo with a decent interface and functionality of a modern OS, without killing the phone's battery, and without needing a "phone" UI. That means maps, traffic updates, and music baked in. Let it tie in to my account so that I can purchase music and have it update the car's librar

  • Dear Google..... (Score:3)

    by Lumpy ( 12016 ) on Wednesday June 18, 2014 @12:10PM (#47263575) Homepage

    Just STOP.

    you do NOT need to have a car specific OS, just fucking bring back "car mode" to Android. Android as it is works fantastic as a Infotainment OS once you disable the stupid screen timeout and add circuitry to wake/sleep based on car ignition status.

  • Why do we even want these giant, built-in distractions in a vehicle when there's so many whiny and complaints about Distracted driving from hand-held devices?

    • "Why do we even want these giant, built-in distractions in a vehicle when there's so many whiny and complaints about Distracted driving from hand-held devices?"

      I agree. Give me a button on my steering wheel that integrates with Siri and that is all I need.
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Good thing Pioneer and Kenwood have already announced CarPlay head units for Q3 then, and I'm sure when we're talking about something Android based that isn't vapor, they'll announce that too.

      Don't need to replace the car, just replace the box in the dash.

  • Google is working on software to complete with Apple's CarPlay

    I'm sure glad they're working together.

  • ... I'll have to pay extra to get a car without a fucking touch screen?

    • No, in 5 years you'll have to pay extra to have Google drive the car go to where you want, stop, and unlock the doors to let you out. Decline to pay extra and you'll be delivered to the drive-through shopping mall that bids highest for your eyeballs. Or perhaps direct to the soylent green^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hrecycling plant....

  • We'll obviously learn details soon enough, but for now, we are left to wonder whether it'll be Apple or Google that ends up owning the automotive market.

    Oh, yes; I'm sure Apple will cover the entire market, all the way from your average Bugatti down to economy cars like Audi and even BMW!

    • We'll obviously learn details soon enough, but for now, we are left to wonder whether it'll be Apple or Google that ends up owning the automotive market.

      Oh, yes; I'm sure Apple will cover the entire market, all the way from your average Bugatti down to economy cars like Audi and even BMW!

      Do you want something cheaper than a Kia?

  • Microsoft has had a pretty cool system in cars for a while, MS Sync. Yet much like their initial smart phone line (think Windows Pocket PC Phone), it felt like they put a half ass effort in and never did anything to push it forward. I can see this happening again, only to have them try to play catch up later, with the 'Surface Radio'

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