Google has just unveiled an Android Auto update during CES 2024, very practical for long journeys in an electric car. Android Automotive is taking advantage of this to reach new car manufacturers and expand its catalog of applications.
Android Auto is now a habit for many drivers, thanks to navigation applications (Google Maps, Waze) or streaming applications (Deezer, Spotify) available directly on the central screen of their cars.
Google is taking advantage of CES 2024 to improve its application in the case of electric cars: a route planner is thus arriving ” in the coming months “, according to the brand’s press release. Android Automotive, for its part, is arriving at new manufacturers and improving the offering of its application store.
A route planner on Android Auto
This is one of the key functions of a good electric car: the route planner is therefore coming to Android Auto. The application will thus be able to retrieve data relating to the battery charge level and will be able to plan, if necessary, charging stops along the route if the autonomy is considered too low to reach the destination.
As a bonus, the application will select the most powerful terminals and the least far from the initial route in order to waste as little time as possible. This function will first arrive at Ford, on the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning, before arriving on other models later.
A good way to talk about the application again, which has been a little overshadowed by the first images of the new version of Apple CarPlay, capable of supporting the display of meters in addition to the central screen.
More choices on Android Automotive
Android Automotive goes further in integrating Google services into the car, since they are available natively in the infotainment system in the car. No need, therefore, to connect your phone to take advantage of it.
If this solution is currently available from Renault, Volvo or Polestar, this CES 2024 is also an opportunity to learn that other brands will join the movement, such as Nissan or Lincoln.
Finally, note the arrival today of the Chrome browser for surfing the Internet and streaming applications like CrunchyRoll or PBS Kids – it remains to be seen whether France will benefit from it. Applications only available when the car is stationary, as you can imagine. Oh, and you can now send directions directly from your phone’s Google Maps app to the car with one click.