Google has an answer to everything, specially for Apple, when it comes to technology. Rivaling Apple’s CarPlay technology, Google Auto is a service that converts your dumb infotainment system in the car into a smart system with purpose.
As simple as it can get, Android Auto allows you to project your Android smartphone’s, running on 5.0 Lollipop or later, screen onto the infotainment system installed in your car. In fact, it just doesn’t project the screen directly, it optimizes it for easy use and accessibility.
Previously it was available in 11 countries across the globe, and Google has now announced the expansion to 18 more countries, including India. Brazil, India and Russia are touted to be the more important economies to get into due to high growth rate in the automobile sector.
Apart from the three above, Android Auto is also now available in the following countries, added today – Argentina, Austria, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Mahindra XUV500 is the first Indian car to support Android Auto, while foreign manufacturers like Honda, Hyundai, Chevrolet, Skoda and Volkswagen have already integrated Android Auto’s functionality in their latest automobiles in late 2015 and 2016.
Drivers will be able to improve their maneuvering to the destination through real-time Google Maps traffic update, while the passengers could enjoy a movie or music video side by side.
Quick facts about Android Auto
Apart from the simple projection standard the service offers, Android Auto has a lot of functionalities accessible to Android users. The prerequisites for using this service are an Android smartphone with version 5.0 and above, and a vehicle supporting Android Auto.
The smartphone is paired to the infotainment system through a USB cable. As soon as the two devices are connected, the system screen displays the smartphone’s screen in a specific format, which is easier for the driver to comprehend and operate. The controls are intuitive and interactive and make the screen function as an extension to the smartphone.
Android Auto can be used for GPS navigation, music and video player, calling services, internet browsing and automatic voice messaging. It makes the dumb infotainment system smart and reduces the need of an external GPS navigation system.
There is a strict reason why Android Auto needs to be supported by a vehicle as well, since it has to be paired with car’s functions like GPS antennas, steering-wheel controls, speakers and amplifiers, car antennas and other sound system.
Now that it is available in India as well, it makes sense for Indian manufacturers to launch their next models fully compatible with Android Auto since not only will the users benefit, but it could also lead to smarter traffic management and navigation.
[…] Android Auto is coming to India and it could not have been a better time to release an update for the same. Traffic and navigation app, Waze, will be directly integrated into Android Auto now, adding to its existing database of maps and locations. Waze app alerts the drivers of accidents and police traps on the existing route. […]
[…] has now announced the expansion of Android Auto to 18 more countries, including India. Android Auto allows you to project your Android smartphone’s, running on 5.0 Lollipop or later, […]