Ever the preserve of Apple CarPlay and a bugbear for Android-using BMW owners, the German carmaker has announced the introduction of Android Auto starting in July 2020 for all vehicles with BMW Operating System 7.0.
And get this - if your BMW is fitted with Head-Up Display (HUD), it will beam through this facility too.
Android Auto allows customers to connect their Android smartphones with their vehicle to mirror certain apps of the phone onto a car’s main display for convenience and safety purposes. Google Maps, Waze, Whatsapp, music and more are some of the applications which the car can beam back through visual and audio playback.
The system BMW will integrate in its vehicles is a wireless connection, making the process of linking up smartphones much easier than it already is via a USB port, and will be adapted in the instrument cluster’s Info Display and in the Head-Up Display.
The Google Assistant on Android Auto makes it easy to get directions, keep in touch and stay productive.
“Many of our customers have pointed out the importance of having Android Auto inside a BMW for using a number of familiar Android smartphone features safely without being distracted from the road, in addition to BMW’s own functions and services,” says Peter Henrich, senior vice president product management BMW.
“We will offer this service to our customers starting in July 2020.”
Patrick Brady, vice president of engineering at Google says: “We are excited to work with BMW to bring wireless Android Auto to their customers worldwide next year. The seamless connection from Android smartphones to BMW vehicles allows customers to hit the road faster while maintaining access to all their favourite apps and services in a safer experience.”
