Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi and Google just announced a tech partnership that will result in Android operating systems being embedded in vehicles sold around the world by the French-Japanese alliance.
The rollout is scheduled to start in 2021, as customers can look forward to using an intelligent infotainment system, plus applications via the Google Play Store across multiple models and brands.
This partnership will ensure that vehicles sold by the three brands will utilize not just the Android OS, but features such as Google Maps and Google Assistant, the latter being voice-operated. Each brand will however have the flexibility to create its own unique user interface.
“Our partnership with Google will offer owners of our vehicles rich user experiences that are currently available outside the vehicle of, to a limited extent, by connecting an Android device to supported vehicles. We are building powerful connected and seamless on-board / off-board experiences into our vehicles in addition to the features of Google applications and services that many users are accustomed to, including Google Maps, the Google Assistant and the Google Play Store,” stated Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi exec, Hadi Zablit.
With Google’s help, the Alliance should succeed in equipping more vehicles with connectivity and cloud-based services as part of its Alliance 2022 mid-term plan, which also targets increased sales of more than 14 million units per year by the end of 2022, as well as the launch of 12 new zero-emission electric vehicles, new autonomous technologies and the ongoing rollout of the Alliance Intelligent Cloud.
The Alliance Intelligent Cloud is said to provide next-gen infotainment systems with secure connectivity by offering a platform to integrate data management, infotainment systems and to facilitate over-the-air upgrades and even remote diagnostics in Renault/Nissan/Mitsubishi vehicles.
Also important to know is that the Google based systems will still be compatible with devices running other operating systems, such as Apple iOS.