As cars get smarter, there’s no surprise that the Operating Systems powering them are going to get a lot more mainstream. No more just worrying about computer chips. No, as we get navigation units, and as OnStar gets smarter, we have to start looking at the things that power our every day items. Like our phones. And, as we can clearly see from the mobile phone market, Android is one of the strongest competitors to date. Apparently General Motors feels the same way, because reports are coming in that they’re about to strike a deal with Google that would put Android in the Chevy Volt of the future.
And not ten years from now, either. These reports are saying that GM executives are currently in negotiations with Google to work out an extensive OnStar partnership, that would mean that the Google mobile Operating System (OS) would power the system from this point on. The Chevy Volt will already be one of the first cars on the market to utilize phone applications to watch over crucial data, like the current charge level of your vehicle or whether or not it’s plugged in, but this would take it to a whole new level.
It would allow OnStar to use its already powerful implementation, and make it even better. By utilizing Android, OnStar would have instant access to Google Maps, real-time data, and the ability to push and pull data from Google’s servers. There would also be access to online entertainment, according to the report. The real question would be: what does this mean for OnStar? A partnership sounds great, but it would seem to us that Android would basically make OnStar obsolete. Or could we see the emergence of DroidStar?
[via GM-Volt.com]
GM should use QNX for their OS… it’s much more robust and already in use in the automotive sector. I wouldn’t want my Denali controlled by an unsecured OS like Droid.