If you happen to be at this year’s CES, you can discover yourself what the FCA and Google have been working on the past few months. A connected car system is something we’ve been dying to see and experience and looks like it’s happening soon. Thanks to the Android OS, its being open source makes it an ideal platform for OEMs and other companies to work on and actually have successful collaborations.
At the CES in Las Vegas, the FCA and Google will be showcasing the Android-Uconnect integration that makes the 8.4-inch connected system more useful than ever. Android delivers user interface customization and automakers find it easy to manipulate. The result is a full-featured automotive infotainment system where most Android apps can run.
The FCA will be offering hands-on demonstrations in Las Vegas this week. Beginning January 5 until the 8th, you can check out the Android-powered Uconnect connected vehicle system installed in a Chrysler 300 sedan.
FCA’s Head of Electrical Engineering Chris Barman says Google and FCA’s collaboration did them good. He said, “With Android, we are able to maintain our unique and intuitive Uconnect user interface, all while integrating our easy-to-use systems with Android’s features and ecosystem of applications.”
The Uconnect is already powered by Android 7.0 Nougat so it can work with even the latest smartphones. The name of the game is connectivity and this compatibility with Android makes the Uconnect more useful with Google Maps, Google Assistant, and apps more frequently used while inside a vehicle such as Spotify, Pandora, Pocket Casts, and NPR One.
SOURCE: FCA
