Over the summer, Reuters reported that auto manufacturers wanted to keep data about your travels out of the hands of Apple and Google, but largely for financial reasons. However Google’s Android Auto tracks a number of variables including vehicle’s speed, fluid temperatures and engine revs and throttle position. Despite Google’s Liz Markman’s statements that Google’s Android Auto doesn’t phone sensitive vehicle data back home, i.e.to Mountain View headquarters, sources claim that the tech company does just that. Apparently the in-car system can share information with the Android device such as GPS location as the the car’s system is often more accurate than the connected phone.
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CarPlay can be used with any iPhone 5 or later, in cars built by the manufacturers listed on Apple’s CarPlay iOS page or in cars that use an Alpine, Kenwood or Pioneer aftermarket system. Well, if we are to believe a report coming from Motor Trend, it’s because Android Auto seeks to collect data that the carmaker sees as confidential.
Porsche has therefore offered to strike a deal with Apple rather than Google, though the report does not indicate whether or not Android Auto’s comprehensive user data requests are a standard procedure for Google, or whether that was an offer made exclusively to Porsche.
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Instead, it will go for Apple’s CarPlay system. The first is that the company is obviously protective about the data behind its iconic sports cars, and the second is concerns over the fact that Google is actively developing their own auto, albeit a self-driving model. While one could argue that this would allow Android Auto to better know the vehicle and its occupant to deliver a more optimized and personalized experience, but perhaps this information could be detrimental to Porsche’s uniqueness. And why 35 more OEMs did it as well including Audi.
