Google's Android OS To Power Dashboard Displays (go.com) 77
schwit1 shares a report from The Wall Street Journal: Google is making a major push into the auto industry, partnering with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance to use the tech company's Android OS to power media displays (Warning: source may be paywalled; alternative source) that will eventually be sold in millions of cars world-wide. The auto-making alliance, which together sells more vehicles than any other auto maker, is picking Google to provide the operating system for its next-generation infotainment system, marking a major victory for the Silicon Valley tech giant, which has spent more than a decade trying to replicate the success it has had with the smartphone in the car. The alliance, which last year sold a combined 10.6 million vehicles globally, will debut the new system in 2021, giving drivers better integration of Google's maps, app store and voice-activated assistant from the vehicle's dashboard, the companies said. The move comes as other auto makers have been reluctant to cede control of this space to tech rivals, in part because they see the technology as generating valuable consumer data that can be turned into new revenue streams. Slashdot reader schwit1 adds: "But can I get it unlocked and can it be turned off, like this traveling telescreen?
Cars I won't be buying... (Score:4, Insightful)
And, why do I need more electronics that can break? Consumer-grade software today is so incredibly shitty (just ship it, we'll fix it later), that I couldn't imagine having something as buggy as Android running my car. No thanks. My dials and gauges work just fine, and never need software updates.
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Those flashy Android gauges are going to look incredibly dated in a few years. This is a good example https://upload.wikimedia.org/w... [wikimedia.org]
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So what you're saying is: This one aspect of an automobile will look dated as time marches on, just like many other aspects of any given automobile also do?
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That actually looks pretty cool in a retrofuturistic 1980s cyberpunk kind of way.
Agreed (Score:2)
Can't wait for the inevitable crash or freeze up and now my dashboard shows nothing. Android would be the last of my OS choices.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
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Tesla has this problem. Both the instrument cluster (IC) and large screen can crash and need rebooting... While you are driving. There is some button combo you have to do, holding down the steering wheel controls to force a reset.
So you can suddenly lose your IC, or it can freeze and give you false information. The main screen controls everything else, including basic stuff like windscreen wipers and lights in the Model 3, so that crashing is pretty serious too.
This is the problem with allowing software upd
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You already have 150+ embedded electronics systems in your car; cruise control, anti-skid lock braking, electronic ignition control, electric windows, remote locking, diagnostics, indicator light timing, entertainment system, radio, CD player. Upmarket vehicles in Europe already have touchscreens that have replaced mechanical controls. Just a wipe clean screen.
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The last thing I want in a car are more stupid gadgets.
The last thing I want in a car is an "Operating System" without which the car won't run, which also tracks my car's every move and gives all kinds of personal data to an advertising company. When the spyware in my car is also the software that allows the car to run, then I might as well be driving a Windows 10 computer with wheels but no power switch.
And, why do I need more electronics that can break? Consumer-grade software today is so incredibly shitty (just ship it, we'll fix it later), that I couldn't imagine having something as buggy as Android running my car. No thanks. My dials and gauges work just fine, and never need software updates.
Not to mention that your car could become the next victim of the people responsible for Gnome 3, Unity, Australis, and the like. Wouldn't it be fun to wake up
What could possibly go wrong... (Score:2, Insightful)
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Oh yeah, that's just what I want, Google having yet more access to me, with no way to block or remove it. Looks like vehicles from the "Renault-Nissan-Mitsubish Alliance" are now on the list of vehicles I will NEVER buy.
Well, my Nissan quest wasn't a bad Mini-van considering... But I'm with you, I don't want Google as my Co-Pilot, unless I can turn them off and the "do not track" setting is actually honored. With Google, heck, with Apple too, you cannot ever be sure the security settings are being honored, but you can at least turn a phone off or place it in a faraday cage if you don't want it phoning home with personal data.
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Sorry, you lost me at "Mini-van".
Ah, haven't had multiple kids yet. Well, stop at two or the Mini-Van is going to be something you need....
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That will probably be true because they were idiots that made stupid decisions. The smart decision for an auto mobile association is a dock standard. Here is our dock standard, this is the connector and these are the mounts. Here is the power and here is the data from various sensors, cameras and temperature controls and of course speakers. We will fit which ever tablet from the manufacturer that provides us the most cash and is not dick brained about it or pisses off our customers.
A standard on connectors
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The smart decision for an auto mobile association is a dock standard.
The smart decision for an automobile manufacturer is lock-in. That's why they don't want a standard like that. Instead, they want amenities which they can use to sell cars. Now that all automakers are basically competent to produce a car worth driving, they are competing primarily on features. But they also want to be able to sell the buyer another car in a few years, so they're not going to give them features that let them feel like they've got a new car without buying one.
Don't worry (Score:4, Funny)
Apple will partner with the other big car brands. Except their implementation will receive software updates continuously. Your cars performance will lower slightly with every update until you feel you need to buy a new car to gain back what you've lost.
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.... by other hip, stylish men
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Wow. A homophobe on Slashdot? Who woulda thunk it.
Fucking bigot.
Crash (Score:2)
Great, I look forward to my dashboard crashing while I drive with no instruments until (if?) it reboots, maybe it'll get stuck in a reboot loop like my last Android phone.
I don't care if they want to make an android display for secondary information, but I hope they keep some traditional gauges for things like the speedometer, gas gauge, and highbeam/turn signal indicators.
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Lock in (Score:2)
As long as it's a DIN standard box, I can pull it out and replace it with something else. Over-the-air software updates? No thanks. I'll bring it into the shop rather than wait for the script kiddies to push crap onto my ECU.
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As long as it's a DIN standard box,
Not only won't it be, but most car stereos aren't either. And even the ones that are often have faceplates of nonstandard sizes so you need some special bezel kit. That's true even in my 1998 A8. DIN standard box, oversized face. At least that's just a bit of plastic away from being fixed, though.
However, nobody ever used a DIN-standard cluster AFAICT, not even in trucks and buses.
Just what we need (Score:2)
Now our cars will spy on us! (Score:2)
Yay!
"You are speeding. I am calling the police and downloading the logs..."
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obligatory (Score:1)
In Soviet American car, speedometer watches you!
No escape (Score:2)
Good deity, there really is no escaping Google anymore is there?
Do you know how fast you were going? (Score:1)