Within the next two years, the jointly developed operating system is expected to be in use in the new Volvo models.
Volvo
Google and Swedish car maker Volvo intend to revolutionise how the driver communicates with the vehicle. Together, they are planning and developing a new version of the Android operating system that is then completely integrated into the vehicle and should offer access to numerous apps and services. "We are making an important strategic step with the Google partnership. Google’s platform and services will enhance the user experience by enabling more personalisation possibilities, while Android will offer increased flexibility from a development perspective", explains Henrik Green, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group.
The partnership between Volvo and Google reflects the convergence between automotive and technology companies as cars become increasingly connected. Volvo believes smart partnerships are the future for the car industry. Using Android as the base operating system should increase speed and flexibility in the development and offer customers the ability to personalise their in-car experience.
"We’re thrilled to partner with Volvo to bring Android into their next generation connected cars", says Patrick Brady, Vice President of Android Engineering at Google: "This partnership gives us the opportunity to deliver a more seamless experience to Volvo drivers through a full-featured infotainment platform and rich ecosystem of Android applications and Google services."
"With the advent of Android, we will embrace a rich ecosystem while keeping our iconic Volvo user interface. We will offer hundreds of popular apps and the best integrated experience in this broad, connected environment", says Green.