The era of the Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) might soon be upon us and Google has prepared Android Automotive for that moment. With the release of Android Automotive OS for Software Defined Vehicles (AAOS SDV), Google is hoping to attract partners who want less stress is managing the software development and infrastructure of vehicles and will instead focus on bringing new features to drivers.
Backing up for a second, Software-Defined Vehicles are those that are almost completely run by software. And we’re not just talking about the infotainment system in your car or the software on a touchscreen. We’re talking about the full software suite that can be easily updated and provide a platform for new features that your car may not have originally shipped with.
So while Android Auto and Android Automotive already do a bunch of cool car stuff that you utilize today, by having this SDV version, Google thinks it can help your carmaker do more and continuously improve your car.
What could that look like? That’s not exactly clear today, as companies are only dipping their toes in this. Again, the basic idea is that the software powering your vehicle can be upgraded in a way that could introduce new features.
If your brain immediately goes to, “Oh, you mean new features that require a subscription, so that my carmarker can take even more cash out of my wallet,” you would be correct. That is one reason for an SDV. Companies already do this with subscriptions for things like heated seats, performance modes, and upgraded cruise control.
After that, the benefits that don’t cost you money are up in the air. This should lead to more frequent or faster over-the-air updates. It’ll certainly bring in more AI stuff, although that could and likely will fall back into the subscription side of things.
For Google and AAOS SDV, this is only providing an infrastructure to the non-safety parts of the vehicle, in case you were wondering or concerned.
For now, Google has announced partnerships with Renault Group and Qualcomm. We’ll let you know as this all advances.
