First Android Car
Automobiles with Google’s “Android Auto” platform will come into the market late this year.
Especially in Korea, where Google maps and other navigation services are not completely available due to domestic regulations, third-party applications such as “Driver Kim” or “T Map” will be provided.
Patrick Brady, an engineering director for Google Android, and Choo Gyo-woong, a director at Hyundai Motors Silicon Valley R&D Center, got together with press at a hotel in San Francisco on June 26 and explained the current status of the Open Auto Alliance (OAA), which is an industry council for automobiles, IT, electronics, and entertainment integrated together based on Android Auto.
The two spokesmen guaranteed good experiences and safety to drivers, while they emphasized “openness” and “user freedom” as the best feature of Android Auto.
They explained that other companies and developers could invent relevant services, applications, and equipment with the Android Auto Software Development Kit introduced at the Google I/O 2014 developer conference on June 25-26. While director Choo mentioned that Hyundai Kia Motors will support both Google Android Auto and Apple Car Play, he said, “Google needs to discuss with third-party service providers, but in case of Android Auto, Driver Kim or T Map, the two most popular navigation applications, would be available.”
He added, “Late this year by the earliest, Hyundai Kia Motors will manufacture the first automobiles compatible with Android Auto.” He also explained, “Even among existing models, post Kia’s Soul models, which have 4th generation head units, will be able to support Android Auto.”
Previously at I/O 2014 Developer Conference, Google simulated Android Auto technology with Kia’s Soul.
Director Choo pointed out that they are preparing thoroughly for problems caused from synchronization of smart phones and cars in order to guarantee both user friendliness and safety.
He elaborated more as smart phones will never control automobile motion, and Android Auto control range is limited only to “infortainment” inside cars. Although automobile motion information will be recorded to smart phones, and smart phones will interact with navigation programs, monitors, speakers, microphones and buttons, smart phones will never control the mechanical movements related to driving.
Director Brady also emphasized, “Automobile safety is a completely separate issue from smart phones, and user experience is totally different from smart phones.”
Some people are worried that Android Auto might not be able to recognize Korean. He answered to this, “Many users are already using Korean, and Google voice recognition will be continuously improved due to self learning ability.”
Regarding the security problems raised from some people, he said, “There is widespread misunderstanding of Android Malware (Malignant Programs), and less than 1 percent of total Android users have actually been infected by Malware.”
In terms of relationship between Google’s driverless car plans and Android Auto, he just said, “Those two are totally separate projects even though both of them promote higher safety standards.”