We’ve long known that GM and Google were working together on infotainment and now, GM is showing the fruits of that partnership with the automaker’s rolling tech showcase, the Hummer EV.
GM said the Hummer would be its first vehicle to feature the new infotainment system at the Google I/O developer conference, per CNET, and shared a video of the system working on YouTube (below). Embedded in the Hummer’s 13.4-inch infotainment screen and its 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Android OS operates the infotainment system natively, rather than projecting information from your phone, as Android Auto (and Apple CarPlay) do.
In a video, the partners showed off the new system’s design as well as the use of Google Maps, Google Play, and Google Assistant. That last feature will allow drivers to interact with their infotainment system through natural speech.
The showcase demonstrates a driver asking the Google Assistant to play a satellite radio station, to plan a route to a charging station, and more. Previous Android Automotive showcases have also shown it changing the ambient temperature and even changing driving modes.
Read Also: GM Shows Off New Android-Based Infotainment System With Extensive Google Integration
The Google Play store will also allow developers to optimize their apps for vehicles. That could mean a podcatcher that operates through the infotainment rather than through your phone, messaging apps that are optimized for text to speech, and so on.
GM is not Google’s first automotive customer. Volvo and its subbrand Polestar were early adopters of the operating system and the Polestar 2 can be purchased with the system.
The Hummer EV pickup is GMC’s 1,000 hp EV moonshot. The earliest models are set to leave the dealership this fall. An SUV version will follow in 2023.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktjBX1-1y-c