BMW will use Android Automotive… But most likely without Google!

Android Automotive is finding its way to car manufacturers around the world one by one, and this week, BMW has officially joined the party and announced that it will use Google’s platform in its upcoming vehicles next year, but it may do that in its own way!

The company confirmed in a press release during the Automobil-Elektronik Kongress 2022 event that it will adopt the Android Automotive OS for a “certain model series for the first time as a second technological approach alongside the current Linux-based variant.” The German automobile manufacturer didn’t give any details about the exact models that will support the new OS and whether we will see it only on the next generation cars or it will be supported in the current ones.

Also, there is no information about what the new infotainment system could look like, as BMW didn’t unveil any pictures or renders at all. However, the company seems to be focusing very much on “customizability” and aims to deliver a rather superior digital experience, benefiting from the Google Android Automotive OS as an open platform limited only by their imaginations.

But the rest of the story is a bit controversial because BMW is expected to introduce the new OS without default support for Google Services, given that it had recently signed a deal with Faurecia to use its Aptoide Automotive App Store instead of Google’s Play Store, which means that some features and apps such as Google Maps may be out of reach!

In this regard, it’s worth mentioning that Android Automotive is not the same as Android Auto. The latter is basically a connection tool acting similar to a screen mirroring app. While Android Automotive, on the other hand, is an actual operating system built to be the core of the infotainment platform in cars, the same way WearOS is built for smartwatches.

With this move, BMW is joining Polestar, Ford, Honda, Volvo, and GMC in the new generation of Google’s (or more specifically, Android’s) powered cars, and with the next version of Apple CarPlay coming soon, the automotive industry could enter a new era where the most important thing is how people use their cars, not how they drive them!