The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas slowly has become almost a tertiary-level auto show, given how many automakers have begun flocking to the venue to show off their latest technological wares. This year certainly won't disrupt the trend, it seems, because The Wall Street Journal is reporting that one automaker in particular is going to make quite the splash: Audi will announce a partnership with Google to integrate Android mobile operating systems into the German brand's cars.
This is a big deal for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being that Audi appears to be drawing a line in the sand between it and, well, nearly every other major automaker. Earlier this year, Google's mortal enemy, Apple, disclosed that it was planning a large-scale integration of its iOS mobile operating system into more than a dozen manufacturers' dashboards.
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Audi's plans with Google fundamentally differ with its competitors and Apple, because the German automaker appears to want to actually run its infotainment system on Android. Apple's iOS integration, on the other hand, doesn't replace the car's infotainment software, but rather augments it, allowing users to manipulate their cars' entertainment system via an iOS-style interface that runs off their mobile Apple device. For Audi, the benefits of going full-Android include access to a host of apps, as well as a flexible software framework. We'll bring your more details next week, when it's assumed Audi and Google will make a formal announcement at CES.
from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com
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