Ford to Use Google's Android System in Most Cars -- Update
02 February 2021 - 5:00AM
Dow Jones News
By Mike Colias
Ford Motor Co. plans to use Google's Android operating system to
power its vehicle display screens starting in 2023, the latest auto
maker to tap Silicon Valley amid the accelerating digitization of
the car business.
The Dearborn, Mich.-based car company said Monday it has entered
into a six-year agreement with the tech giant to embed Google's
suite of apps, including voice commands and navigation, into
multimedia displays on all Ford models outside of China.
Ford also intends to work with Alphabet Inc.'s Google for cloud
services to help the auto maker develop in-car features and manage
the reams of data streaming from its vehicles.
Terms of the agreement weren't disclosed.
Silicon Valley firms are pushing further into the auto business,
eager to capitalize on the growth prospects of the car's evolution
as a rolling personal device. Tech companies now provide core
operating systems to run in-vehicle multimedia systems, while also
providing cloud-based service to store and manage the proliferation
of data produced by cars, many of which now are sold with broadband
connections.
Microsoft Corp. had struck deals to provide its Azure cloud
service to some of the world's largest car companies, including
General Motors Co. and Volkswagen AG. Amazon.com Inc.'s AWS cloud
service works with Toyota Motor Corp. and other auto makers.
Ford said it will use Google's cloud services for everything
from flagging potential new service offerings to managing equipment
on the factory floor and streamlining supply chains. The companies
said they will form a jointly staffed group to work on projects
together.
Inside the car, both Google and Apple Inc. have for years been
offering dashboard features that mimic the look and feel of their
ubiquitous operating systems. Apple also has been working
secretively on its own car project for many years. Amazon's Alexa
personal assistant is featured across many models.
While most car makers offer so-called mirroring software to
replicate the Android or Apple interfaces on the car's display,
those features require drivers to connect their smartphones to the
vehicle. Ford, GM and others are now working with Google to offer
Android as built-in software, a move that allows owners to download
apps directly to their vehicle's tabletlike display, said Sam
Abuelsamid, an analyst at consultancy Guidehouse Insights.
Auto makers are mobilizing to offer in-car services to customers
that would allow the companies to collect recurring revenue streams
and update features on the fly, from automated-driving features to
new apps. They also are using data from vehicles to develop
features for future models.
Write to Mike Colias at Mike.Colias@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 01, 2021 12:45 ET (17:45 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2024 to Jul 2024
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024