Audi, GM, Google, Honda, Hyundai and NVIDIA have joined together to form the Open Automotive Alliance (OAA), a global alliance of technology and auto industry leaders committed to bringing the Android platform to cars starting in 2014. The OAA is dedicated to a common platform that will drive innovation, and make technology in the car safer and more intuitive for everyone.
A potentially very lucrative market.
Wish Tesla’s name were also on this list.
The problem Tesla would face if they joined the alliance is not only would they have to fight the misperception that their cars are more flammable despite the evidence, they’ll also have to fight the misperception that their cars are more fragmented despite the evidence.
If Tesla joined that I bet there would be claims that the whole cat is run by Android. I won’t be surprised someone mentioning claiming that he crashed into other car because Google Hangouts hung on his Tesla.
So Hyundai and nVidia have one leg in GENIVI and second leg in this new alliance?
GENIVI works on bringing standard (GNU/)Linux into vehicles, and this new thing works on bringing Android/Linux. Is seem like a conflict of interests.
It is the first time I ever ear about GENIVI.
It was started in 2008.
http://linuxgizmos.com/linux-based-in-vehicle-infotainment-on-the-r…
A Linux Foundation executive revealed that the 2014 Toyota Lexus IS is the second major automobile to offer an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system based on Linux. Meanwhile, ABI Research projects that Linux will quickly grow to represent 20 percent of automotive computers by 2018, pulling closer to Microsoft behind industry-leading QNX.
Since the GENIVI Foundation was launched in 2009 to foster standardization on automotive computers built on open source Linux, the move toward Linux-based IVI and connected automotive telematics systems has been halting. Now, however, a second car manufacturer — Toyota — is introducing a Linux IVI system, according to the Linux Foundation.
There are a number of companies involved by now.
http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/19/coming-to-a-car-near-you-linux-goe…
Coming To A Car Near You: Linux Goes Automotive, Signs Up Harman, Intel, Toyota, Samsung’s Tizen, More
Today, the Linux Foundation announced that it was throwing its hat into the car-apps ring, with the creation of the Automotive Grade Linux Workgroup. Early sign-ups among car companies include Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan and Toyota. Tech companies include Harman, Intel, NEC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Texas Instruments, along with Tizen, the Linux-based platform backed by Samsung and Intel.
So Google’s group the OAA are not the only group active in using open source software in cars.
Open source software and collaboration amongst a group of companies is a perfect economic fit when the product uses software as a component, but the product is NOT the software itself.
Edited 2014-01-07 02:48 UTC
There I agree, just not with Tizen.
I see no indication of conflict of interest. An attempt at sitting on two chairs – probably… Still, they have plenty of good faith options here:
• withdraw themselves from GENIVI;
• merge the projects;
• deprecate GENIVI silently;
• co-develop both options for different offerings (most likely they don’t want the same amount of service for top- and bottom-tier products).
Will we witness another drakonian Google-directed alliance where any misstep will result in ban from access to Google services? So all automakers will install Android devices into their cars with Google services and there will be no more choice like is the case with Google Android right now?
So in my next – possibly Android running – car i won’t be able to adjust the radio volume or turn the a/c up/down without taking my eyes off the road?
Wait, some idiots already do that in current non-Android cars
Very good point. As much as I love new technology, I hate it when it’s used just for the sake of newness and when it doesn’t improve functionality or even reduces usability. Most new appliances needlessly overuse technology. For example, there is absolutely no reason that a washer or dryer needs a digital screen or electronic “soft” buttons. The only washers and dryers that had big mechanical knobs that went “click” were usually much easier to use and provided the exact same functionality. And now in the case of cars, I do NOT want a big (or small) screen in my car that is hard to see in bright daylight, with digital buttons to change the sound system or adjust the climate control, and which often has an annoyingly slow to react interface. I want big, simple knobs and simple, single-function buttons that I can press/move with motor-memory without even looking. For me, luxury in a car is not defined by the number of digital screens or the number of buttons on the dash. I prefer good, solid engineering, which unfortunately appears to be a lost art in this day and age of outsourced drop-in dash modules and infoannoyance systems.
Of course, that can go the other way. I present exhibit B, the buttons around the gear shifter on a Porsche Panamera:
http://image.motortrend.com/f/roadtests/alternative/1203_2012_porsc…
sb56637,
I concur. I usually find the mechanical analog controls superior to the digital ones. The soft controls require much more attention to adjust. In some cases, it’s possible to take an analog control and convert it to a digital signal, which can work well for certain things, however other times it’s still far more frustrating to use than the physical control we used to have.
For an example, my old car had physical volume and balance knobs, which clicked into place when centered. They could be adjusted with muscle memory alone. In our new car most of these functions are replaced with a multi-modal digitized knob. Click the knob several times until the desired function comes up on the display, then turn the knob while watching the display to see what it’s set to. What used to take one or two seconds without taking eyes off the road for any prolonged time now requires full attention for a much longer duration. Adjusting the car radio is unsafe BECAUSE of the use of soft controls.
This example is good because it highlights a fundamental safety issue, however it’s happening all around us where the older physical controls get replaced with soft controls that are often more difficult to actually use. I strongly preferred well designed dedicated buttons. Software control can be cool and all, but it really sucks when all the vendors are jumping on the digital bandwagon and they collectively assume that’s all that’s worth investing in. They’re all so desperate to be “innovators” that they loose sight of focusing on whether it works better than what we had.
And this goes double for mp3 players. They used to come with physical buttons that you could actually operate while the f**king things were in your pocket, instead of having to take them out and look at them. Now? Most of them have copied the iDevices and moved a lot of this functionality to the touch screen, or to soft buttons that you can’t feel. Pointless.
Oh, and while cars are implementing this new technology, how about putting in a cell phone mount on the dash, so I don’t have to use those goddamn suction cup things, NONE of which ever stick for very long.
As I keep on saying I am yet to see any commercial use of it.
So I guess that by this time next week Android fan boys will totally act like Apple iOS in the car announcement wasn’t first. And that this idea has been in the pipe line for years at Google. Its not a total copy of what Apple is trying to do. LOL!
And I know, Microsoft has been in cars for years so that means Apple is following Microsoft and because of that they will get no credit for making it better and mass market if they do. LOL.
Sounds familiar.
iOS is in cars?
I believe they are referring to this: http://www.apple.com/au/ios/whats-new/#carintegration
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_in_the_Car
With Siri eyes free and iOSitC integration in some Honda models.
But should reaching a ton of car models by summer because it can use existing in car systems. (Even Android based systems)
You left out the “LOL” at the end of each sentence.
LOL You’re welcome! LOL!
iOS in the Car (abbreviated as iOSitC) is a new standard Apple Inc. is introducing for its iOS devices to be able to work with manufacturers’ built-in in-car systems. It was unveiled during the opening keynote of the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 10, 2013.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GENIVI
The GENIVI Alliance is a non-profit consortium whose goal is to establish a globally competitive, Linux-based operating system, middleware and platform for the automotive in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) industry.
The GENIVI Alliance was founded on March 2, 2009 by BMW Group, Delphi, GM, Intel, Magneti-Marelli, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Visteon, and Wind River Systems.
So getting back to your comment “fan boys will totally act like Apple iOS in the car announcement wasn’t first” … guess what? Apple iOS in the car most decidedly wasn’t first. Not by a long shot. Linux in the car was negotiated in 2008 and has been up and running since 2009.
Not only were Apple indeed following Microsoft, but both of them were following Linux.
Edited 2014-01-07 03:00 UTC
Exactly.
First off I was being sarcastic. Second off I was talking about Google and Apple.
I mean shoot that like saying ohhhh Palm was first, danger was first but then totally forget things like the newton.
There is always something first. Question is He or she who will make it commercially viable will be who is left standing in the end. LOL
i find curious / don’t understand why Audi is there but not the rest of the VW group?
Edited 2014-01-06 15:40 UTC
I don’t think Android should become the standard.
I’d rather have the car provide a standardized set of interfaces so that any OS, not just Android, could work with it.
The website FAQ say it is a two parts effort:
As I understand this is:
1- Interface from you smartphone and the Car infotainment OS with enhancements to the smartphone side Android
2- Be able to use Android as the infotainment OS
So, car manufactures that are already implementing their own OS can interface with Android smartphones and those that want to use Android on the infotainment platform itself will be able to do it
Edited 2014-01-06 17:35 UTC
I think you might find that quite often the car itself runs Linux. Automotive grade Linux.
http://automotive.linuxfoundation.org/
http://techcrunch.com/2011/07/06/toyota-joins-linux-foundation/
Toyota Joins Linux Foundation
Linux is very, very good at providing a standardised set of interfaces so that any OS, not just Android, could work with it.
Edited 2014-01-07 03:11 UTC
The amount of technology in modern cars is totally absurd. The information load for drivers is approaching that of a modern commercial aircraft. However, unlike pilots, drivers have extremely limited training and are not certified for a particular model.
Luckily we’ll soon all have self-driving cars, euh… I mean: auto-pilots like in airplanes.
(auto-pilot is what will be on the market first, because of current laws, the driver will still be the one responsible)
So I guess my next car will ask me to log in with my Google account before I can even start it.