back to article Daimler hints at Android-powered telematics in future cars

A job ad posted by Daimler-Benz has lit the world up with speculation about Google's plans to keep pace with Apple in the in-car operating system market. The ad, posted here, is calling for an engineer to work on “Google Projected Mode” technology, to integrate Google's technology with Mercedes' MBConnect communications system …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Daimler, not Daimler-Benz

    they changed name years ago.

    1. messele

      Re: Daimler, not Daimler-Benz

      Try "Daimler AG"

      ...so as not to get confused with the much longer established "Daimler Company Ltd." of England which was most certainly not founded by Gottleib Daimler.

  2. Paul J Turner

    Please, not Windows!

    BSOD on the Autobahn - that would be a real crash

  3. Big-nosed Pengie

    I only found out recently that my wife's car uses Windwoes. No wonder it's such a flakey piece of crap! (The connectivity system, not the car - the car's brilliant.)

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    This is all a non-issue

    All the major brands will support both iOS and Android in a few years, all the announcements now are just Apple and Google jockeying for mindshare and trying to make people think this support means much of anything. It isn't like the car is running the OS, the entertainment/nav system will have integration for the products.

    Consider how long a car lasts. Does anyone expect iOS and Android to be around in anything like their current form in 2030? 16 years ago Windows 98 was new and shiny, and Linux was a hobbyist OS. A lot can change over the years, so I'm not sure I want a new car to support anything CE product beyond a simple interface to get info/sound/graphics in and sound.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @Doug Re: This is all a non-issue

      You really don't know much about car systems, do you?

      Are we talking about an iPod connection in to the stereo, or are we talking about voice integration with a phone and the voice activated commands in the car?

      Historically in the 90's MB integrated with a Moto flip phone for many years. Then you had hands free and it could interrogate the phone's contact list.

      Today, you do that all by blue tooth so the phone really doesn't matter.

      But when you start integrating the phone/data tech beyond just the phone's capabilities... that's when you start to get to the point where you have to pick and choose.

  5. Mark 85

    Interesting concepts....

    My wife's car already sends her emails telling her it needs service or that tires (tyres for the chaps on the east side of the pond) need air.

    "Google Protected Mode" sounds a bit sinister... especially the "Protected" part. Or is this just ploy to provide in-car advertising... like "Low on gas. There's an XYZ fuel station 2 miles ahead on the left" followed by "sponsored ad"?

    1. ckm5

      Re: Interesting concepts....

      It's 'projected' not 'protected' and it most likely refers to 'projecting' a mirror image of the device screen onto the headunit screen....

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Interesting concepts....

        Like Miracast?

      2. Mark 85

        Re: Interesting concepts....

        You're correct. I blew it. A little dyslexia with my morning coffee.... <sigh>

        Which still begs the question if they're planning on targeted ads.

  6. ckm5

    Mercedes is NOT running iOS

    Apple iOS for cars is just a Remote Desktop-ish client running on the headunit, it's not iOS running in the headunit.

    It would simple (perhaps simpler) to do this with Android (cf VNC).

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Nooooo

    You already hand of plenty of data in a Merc. German police was able to listen in on criminals via the onboard phone, why does this need expanding to the NSA?

    I have no issue with properly controlled and sanctioned intercept as it's a law enforcement tool - the problem is that I don't want to add an uncontrolled 3rd party acquiring the same ability and Google's hands are not exactly clean.

    1. SMK8

      QNX on MB units, Makes sense to add Android Runtime.

      MB cars with Infotainment/telematics use QNX.

      Makes sense that with the Androind Runtime found on the BB10 platform, that this would be brought to the Telematics/Infortainment platform as well.

      -sean

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