Jan. 6, 2014—Bloomberg Businessweek reported Monday that Google is part of a new group with General Motors, Honda, Audi, Hyundai, and Nvidia, called the Open Automotive Alliance that aims to implement Google’s Android mobile operating system into vehicles.
The announcement, made a day before International Consumer Electronics Show opens in Las Vegas opens, has been rumored for some time, and would help car companies get features reserved for smartphones and tablets into their vehicles.
“Connected cars” aren’t exactly new, with Ford and Microsoft collaborating on MyFord Touch, software that allows drivers to use their mobile devices for voice commands to control things like radio tuning.
Other car companies have also dabbled with partnerships, and automakers like Toyota and Audi already use Google technology for map functions. Tesla Motors’ Model S vehicle even has a 17-inch touch screen for tablet-like features.
