Wireless Android Auto Comes To More OEMs; Car Key On Select Smartphones

Google has just concluded its annual developed conference called Google IO -- it is the stage where it updates its computing platforms and services -- including Android which now hits version 12. As a subset of Android 12, the latest version of Android Auto has also received some interesting updates.
Google said that there are already more than 100 million vehicles in the world that are running Android Auto. While the number is quite huge, but Google also announced globally now there are 3 billion Android devices. When put into context, Google has some way to go to make Android for cars as ubiquitous as phones.

Google's Android Auto piggybacks on the Android plaforms popularity

One of the key features of Android Auto that many users have been yearning for is a fully wireless connection which doesn't need the phone to be tethered to the car with a cable. Till now this has been a feature restricted to premium vehicles mostly, but Google is promising improvements to the situation.

This seems like a US-facing announcement

"A vast majority of Ford, GM and Honda will support Android Auto Wireless, " said Sameer Samat, Google's Vice President for Android and Google Play.

In the keynote, Google highlighted 15 OEM partners -- including GM brands Dodge, Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac, VW groups brands like the core VW brand, Audi, Seat and Skoda and Stellantis brands - Jeep, Chrysler and Renault. It also included BMW, Ford and Honda.

This seems like a more US-facing announcement as even in India cars like the Nissan Magnite has Android Auto already. The absence of Fiat from the list is also notable since it is a core Stellantis brand but is one which doesn't have a major presence in the US.

Other changes to the platform are likely to include the new “Material You” reactive UI deisgn priciples which has been touted as the biggest change to the Android asthetic since 2014 when the Mountain View based search giant announced Android Lollipop.

Following Apple's lead, Google has announced its own digital car key feature that will allow the user to wirelessly unlock the car and start and even hand over control of it to a friend. Like carkey for iOS 14, it also leverages ultra wide band technology and NFC. Google also partnered with BMW for the same something which a follow up to Apple's announcement from 11 months ago.

Google is saying this feature will be first rolled out for its own Pixel phones and Samsung's Galaxy line of smartphones. It should be noted that Samsung is the world's best selling smartphone brand. That being said this feature would require an ultra wide band chip just like on the iPhone 11 and 12 models.

Currently, only the new Samusng Galaxy S21 Ultra has that chip while the Pixel 5 doesn't have the tech which means in fall when its successor comes out with Android 12, it will support the feature out of the gate.