Report: “Android M” to support use as a car infotainment OS

But will car makers agree to cede control of the infotainment system to Google?

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[thohac]

No one thinks of the audio system and heating/air conditioning system as critical but there are situations where malfunction has the potential to cause harm. If a bug were to lock up the heating/cooling system of someone in the middle of Northwestern snowstorm or a Southeastern scorcher, someone could die. If the sound system startled the driver by unexpectedly playing a track full blast, it might very well cause an accident.

 

[mmiller7]

sk3l[/url]":1i5y2sn0]

Kia[/url]":1i5y2sn0]What happens in 12 years when the car's os is no longer updated, but there's a security flaw that lets someone take over the car's breaks?

I think we're talking strictly about a "infotainment" console here, not anything hooked into the car's drive function or diagnostics. If it turned out that such a vulnerability in basically the car's music/navigation system enabled control of other areas of the vehicle, then that would be the ultimate bonehead mistake of all time, and it would be epic litigation bait.

That's all fine and good to think that but it's not the case anymore.

Most head-units know what gear you're in and how fast you're going, some also partially control anti-theft and other systems...tapping into OBD CAN buses and the like. The model of my car that has GPS even allows you to reconfigure settings for various systems including automatic-lights, alarm sensitivity, reminder chimes, door lock options, remote-start, and a plethora of other parameters. In Hybrids a lot of infotainment systems also talk to the computers to display all sorts of data about the state of batteries, charging, hybrid engine, etc.

Suppose someone was able to hack into this and send random commands thru the CAN bus, best case it would likely send the car into limp-mode (I had this happen with a faulty OBD reader) or worst case it might be dead until you get towed to a dealer (my faulty OBD reader confused the car so badly I couldn't start the engine until I reset the system with a working OBD tool).

 

[ryanmt]

MechR[/url]":1bdxypem]

Just like Harman's CEO, the Reuters report said that Android's startup time will need to be greatly improved in order for it to be a viable car infotainment OS.

Finally, someone notices! I hope any boot-time optimizations extend back to phones and other non-car systems, too.

Why? The big battery in a car can certainly maintain a smartphone OS in standby for months.

 

[Ryan B.]

iolinux333[/url]":37u3to61]All I need is a blank spot recessed on the dash designed to securely hold the phone or tablet of my choice, with a USB power connector right there too. And a cover door that closes automatically when the engine shuts off (manual/cheap clicky door is fine too) to hide from prying eyes. With bluetooth steering wheel controls, I can have the infotainment system of my choice that will never be outdated, running whatever software I choose.

That would be amazing in many ways, but there are a couple of problems with it. One, your average tablet is not designed to function in the environment of a car (extremes of temperature, dirt, and vibration). Two, the government would ruin the party, as it so often does, with safety regulations.

 

[Ryan B.]

ryanmt[/url]":3bv3ht4h]

MechR[/url]":3bv3ht4h]

Just like Harman's CEO, the Reuters report said that Android's startup time will need to be greatly improved in order for it to be a viable car infotainment OS.

Finally, someone notices! I hope any boot-time optimizations extend back to phones and other non-car systems, too.

Why? The big battery in a car can certainly maintain a smartphone OS in standby for months.

...until it gets drained, or fails, or is disconnected for any reason...

 

[auxilio]

Ryan B.[/url]":1zfz6nyh]

ryanmt[/url]":1zfz6nyh]

MechR[/url]":1zfz6nyh]

Just like Harman's CEO, the Reuters report said that Android's startup time will need to be greatly improved in order for it to be a viable car infotainment OS.

Finally, someone notices! I hope any boot-time optimizations extend back to phones and other non-car systems, too.

Why? The big battery in a car can certainly maintain a smartphone OS in standby for months.

...until it gets drained, or fails, or is disconnected for any reason...

I don't understand what the point of your post is. Car batteries are warrantied for several years. You have to replace them about that often. There should be no problem powering a small computer in addition to the normal stuff it already powers 24/7.

Draining isn't a problem unless it's been a long time since you started your engine.
Failing is an issue if you're outside your warranty, but most people understand that anyways and just treat it as another maintenance expense.
And most people don't just go disconnecting their battery routinely. And if they did, then reconnecting it should then boot the computer back up. Same as with your car's clock.

 

[dooza]

Just something else to go wrong that will cost you a fortune in "authorised dealers" repair costs, and most likely something you can't replace with a third party alternative yourself if it does break or becomes abandoned.

 

[kindakrazy]

auxilio[/url]":2xyyvo2l]

Ryan B.[/url]":2xyyvo2l]

ryanmt[/url]":2xyyvo2l]

MechR[/url]":2xyyvo2l]

Just like Harman's CEO, the Reuters report said that Android's startup time will need to be greatly improved in order for it to be a viable car infotainment OS.

Finally, someone notices! I hope any boot-time optimizations extend back to phones and other non-car systems, too.

Why? The big battery in a car can certainly maintain a smartphone OS in standby for months.

...until it gets drained, or fails, or is disconnected for any reason...

I don't understand what the point of your post is. Car batteries are warrantied for several years. You have to replace them about that often. There should be no problem powering a small computer in addition to the normal stuff it already powers 24/7.

Draining isn't a problem unless it's been a long time since you started your engine.
Failing is an issue if you're outside your warranty, but most people understand that anyways and just treat it as another maintenance expense.
And most people don't just go disconnecting their battery routinely. And if they did, then reconnecting it should then boot the computer back up. Same as with your car's clock.

And if your battery doesn't have enough juice to keep your radio running, the least of your worries is that it takes 30 seconds or however long to boot your radio after you get your car boosted.