Google’s Android Auto infotainment platform has long been established for many drivers to be able to use basic smartphone applications while driving in the car. The next step is Android Automotive and brings a fully-fledged infotainment operating system to the vehicles. With a simple hardware solution, Google could also speed up its spread considerably.
The rapid spread of Android Auto is probably due both to people’s desire to use smartphone applications in the car, but also to its ease of “installation”. Simply plugin and off you go. Android Auto compatibility for the infotainment displays in the vehicle is necessary but was promptly implemented by many manufacturers. With Android Automotive, however, things are completely different, because the hurdles are significantly higher for the operating system.
Android Automotive is not just an attachment, but the entire operating system. The manufacturers would thus make themselves dependent on Google in this area, which explains the hesitant promise of support. But users also have no way of using Android Automotive in any other way. Although the operating system can be used on a tablet with some tinkering, this is more for the nerd niche in the tech niche and not for the mass market.
The solution that Google could use to overcome both the technical hurdle on the part of users and the reluctance of vehicle manufacturers is obvious: a dongle. The fact that a dongle is finding acceptance in the car can only be seen from the dongle solutions for wireless use. Although it does not bring any functional innovations, only replaces the cable, the run on the small hardware helpers is unbroken.
Google could pack the entire Android Automotive operating system onto a USB dongle that stays in the car and brings the platform to the infotainment display in the usual Android Auto way. Technically, this is not a problem at all, as shown by the in-house Chromecast with Google TV, among other things.
It would be the same approach and could push Android Automotive a fair bit. Once the users have the proverbial advantages on their screens, Google’s leverage with the car manufacturers will be extended quite a bit. Suddenly Android Automotive would be a sales argument that manufacturers are desperately looking for, especially in view of the major current and future changes in the market.
Of course, there would be restrictions: The vehicle control will not be technically possible, the form factor of the displays (horizontal) does not correspond to that of Android Automotive (vertical) and an adaptation to the vehicle interior will be difficult. But it would be a start and after all, Android Auto on the smartphone display was not a feast for the eyes for a long time.
I think a dongle would be very suitable as a temporary solution and for the first attack on the masses. Perhaps the Motorola wireless dongle officially endorsed by Google is just the first step in such a direction. Who knows what the next few months will bring.