BMW To Add Android Automotive in its Cars from 2023

The BMW Group has just announced its intention to integrate Android Automotive into its vehicles from March 2023. The new operating system is expected to work in tandem with the proprietary Linux-based system currently used by the German luxury brand.

German automaker BMW has announced plans to use Android Automotive in its cars as early as March next year. The platform, which equips all the infotainment systems of several vehicles of the Volvo, Polestar, and Stellantis groups, will be integrated into BMW’s Operating System 8 operating system, but it is not yet known exactly which models will be equipped with this system.

As a reminder, Android Automotive is a complete vehicle operating system that can be integrated into car infotainment systems and dashboards and work without a smartphone nearby It should not be confused with Android Auto, the connection system between a smartphone and Google’s dashboard, which similar to Apple’s CarPlay, which BMW already uses in some of its vehicles.

Android Automotive probably won’t use Google apps at BMW

Unlike other competitors, it appears that BMW will not opt ​​for Google apps on its cars. In reality, in early 2022, BMW signed an agreement with Apotide to provide an app store for the Android-based operating system. This means that the embedded operating system is unlikely to use Google services, such as the Play Store or even Google Maps.

According to Stephan Durach, senior vice president of the German brand, BMW wants to “integrate the best aspects of all worlds – it can be our own in-house developments, open source or commercial software products, depending on what the specific solution looks like. Like it. We ensure that our customers always have a unique and personalized digital experience in their vehicle.”

Google introduces Android Automotive OS as open and customizable software that can be adapted to work on infotainment systems and car head units. Its operation may therefore be slightly different in BMW vehicles compared to what is already done in its rivals. It is hoped that the vehicles to be equipped with Android Automotive in 2023, in turn, will not be affected by the shortage of components. This previously prevented BMW from shipping cars with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.