Drivers of Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi vehicles could be looking forward to an altogether more connected future thanks to a new partnership with Google. The three brands, which already make up one giant so-called automotive Alliance, plan to develop increasingly powerful infotainment systems by embedding the Android operating system in its vehicles from 2021. Along with delivering a beefier in-car selection of automotive-flavoured apps, drivers will also be able to enjoy improved Maps-focused turn-by-turn navigation along with the ability to answer calls and texts with even more ease. In fact, Google Maps which is possibly one of the most practical services to have built-in to a car that might be the best bit. It also trounces Apple Maps, which forms the navigation aspect of their CarPlay rival. The revitalised integral version of Google Assistant for the car will also mean many other infotainment features can be controlled by voice, along with numerous everyday vehicle functions too. The collaboration is a big deal, not least because the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance sold 10. However, while the plan is to utilise the Android platform for these services, the experience will be individually tweaked and tailored to suit each of the three car brands. Ultimately, the move to deliver an improved in-car experience is aimed at getting us to buy more cars in a period when new sales are cooling. The car-making Alliance wants to transform that and hopes to sell 14 million vehicles by the end of 2022. Increasingly, a chunk of that will, the Alliance hopes, comes from zero emission electric vehicles. There are currently a dozen of these planned along with new and improved autonomous-driving technologies. Also adding value to the Android integration is the Alliance Intelligent Cloud AIC , which aims to offer secure in-car connectivity. The AIC will allow new models to become increasingly smart. Remote upgrades to software systems and vehicle diagnostics will form part of the system. Interestingly, the arrangement will also be compatible with devices running other operating systems, such as Apple iOS. The new system looks to go a lot further though. Connecting to a USB port or setting up a Bluetooth connection can be the most tedious aspect of current in-car systems, so jumping in and enjoying something built-in sounds like a great solution. In the future, Google Assistant, which employs Google's leading AI technology, can become the main way customers interact with their vehicles, hands-free. And with in-vehicle access to Google Play Store, our customers will enjoy an open and secure ecosystem of Android apps engineered for vehicles. We're thrilled to partner with Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi to bring Google Assistant, Google Maps, and other popular apps via the Play Store and Android to drivers and passengers around the world.
