Why Are Cars Getting Rid Of Android Auto?

Comments

• smeg@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Rent seeking behavior. They want subscription revenue instead of wanting to deliver what consumers want.

  source

  • SnoringEarthworm@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    For the most part, it’s believed that carmakers are doing way with Android Auto support simply as a way to expand their control over user data. Because Android Auto utilizes your phone’s connection, all of the data that runs through it goes straight to Android and the phone manufacturer. So, by utilizing built-in systems, the car manufacturers would indeed be able to collect more data about how you use the systems in place, while also possibly getting more money out of you through subscriptions.

    You are unfortunately correct.

    source
  • BastingChemina@slrpnk.net ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    And then carmakers will cry that Chinese cars are reading over the market.

    source
  • ThomasWilliams@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    It’s not free you know.

    Yes, the software doesn’t cost anything but the chipset is supplied by a single manufacturer Qualcomm and costs a bomb.

    source

    • dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      You can’t run it on a Mediatek or a Rokchip or whatever?

      source
    • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      There’s more than just Qualcomm in the ARM market.

      Also, so what? Do you think the cars are currently sold at a loss? They profit on each car sold, and that includes the infotainment.

      source
    • smeg@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      That’s such an obvious deflection, though. My last car was a GM vehicle, with built-in OnStar right there in the box behind the rearview mirror. Built into the price I paid was hardware I didn’t want, didn’t pay a subscription for, yet was collecting my driving data and selling it.

      Building a functionally useful infotainment system to replace Android Auto, with all of the bells and whistles needed to complete, is going to cost them the same or more. The difference is the rent seeking behavior, the demand for subscriptions, and getting more opportunities to spy on their customers for profit.

      source
• haywire7@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Back to the days of rip out the head unit and stick one in that does have the features you want?

  source

  • MurrayL@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I imagine they’ll try to make this increasingly difficult; maybe even impossible.

    source

    • kenopsik@piefed.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      It already is for a lot of modern cars. Especially EVs. I imagine they are so tied into the functionality of the car that it makes the vehicle impossible to drive without the OEM headunit.

      source

      • -> View More Comments
    • Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I doubt it will be completely impossible - we’d just be returning to a situation similar to game consoles and modchips - any aftermarket parts need to lie to the “authentication” checks in place first.

      I would expect that certain aftermarket groups would specialize based on popular models, maybe even prioritizing models designed to be interoperable with others design and parts wise (Subaru and perhaps Toyota comes to mind).

      source

      • -> View More Comments
  • BreadstickNinja@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I just had a little magnetic clip for my air vent where I could attach my phone and put up a map.

    I’d sooner go back to doing that than use a “Gemini-based AI assistant” in my fucking car.

    source

    • zod000@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I quite literally just bought one of those clips recently because I am done with Android Auto, and Google in general as much as I can be.

      source
  • CoffeeTails@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I’d rip out the touch screen SO fast

    source

    • Buffalox@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      And then lose control of numerous functions of your car.
      It’s simply not an option in modern cars.

      source

      • -> View More Comments
    • RvTV95XBeo@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      And replace it with what? You can’t just hot glue knobs on the center console and expect them to work.

      source

      • -> View More Comments
    • SinningStromgald@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      No need to do that. You could get a Slate and put in what you want.

      source
  • chiliedogg@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    That’s another reason the manufacturers are increasingly locking vehicle features behind the touchscreen. If you buy a 3rd party replacement, you can’t control the AC.

    source
  • k0e3@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Are you talking about music/NAV systems or CEOs?

    source
  • sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Car mechanics are basically going to need to become hackers.

    source
  • knobbysideup@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Good luck. Everything is integrated now with nonstandard form factors. The work and cost to do my 2020 transit is ridiculous. Phone mount and Bluetooth it is.

    source
• melroy@kbin.melroy.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I wish I could develop my own apps on my own car. I mean I own the car.. why can't I "sideload" my own created apps? Their apps are sht anyways.

  source

  • phoenixz@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    www.automotivelinux.org

    source

    • kittenzrulz123@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Not only will Automotive Linux not save us it will power the new proprietary car systems

      source
  • JensSpahnpasta@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    It kind of makes sense to not allow people to do that - just imagine what horrors people will create that totally will kill people. Cars are dangerous.

    source

    • tabular@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      People have been able to change their own brake pads for as long as cars existed.

      source

      • -> View More Comments
    • grue@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      100% fearmongering bullshit designed to erode property rights. Cars have been completely “open” throughout their entire history until recently, and the problems caused by irresponsible owner modification have been both negligible and entirely acceptable (compared to the alternative of going full-blown police state to stop them).

      source

      • -> View More Comments
    • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Your car radio can’t kill people lmao

      source
    • melroy@kbin.melroy.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Of course I'm talking about the information entertainment system. Not the main Can bus that is handling breaking or whatever...

      source
  • fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    You probably can, just nobody bothers to do it. My Subaru has installable apps. Hell older Hondas (and possibly current ones) just run android. You can even get to the regular android UI on them.

    source

    • melroy@kbin.melroy.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I'm pretty sure the sofware that is running on the information entertainment system from VW is fully proprietary without any way of flashing it with a custom rom or running Linux on it.

      I'm not taking about connecting other devices like apple or android phone to this system.

      source
  • zod000@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    You can, but it’s a Google filled minefield. A good view of it is reading into all of the trouble of using Android Auto in GrapheneOS without destroying all the privacy protections. It’s essentially impossible to get navigation going without doing so, but audio for music and phone calls can be done with some hoop jumping. You’re still probably better off just using bluetooth though.

    source

    • Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      There are open source navigation apps. No need for google.

      source

      • -> View More Comments
    • melroy@kbin.melroy.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      .? No the information entertainment system is fully proprietary as far as I know. Without any way of flashing something else like Linux on it.

      source
• Undearius@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I am always surprised I don’t hear more discussion about Automotive Grade Linux.

  www.automotivelinux.org

  source

  • pogmommy@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Something something year of the Linux car

    source

    • InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      You heard it on Lemmy first!

      source
  • kittenzrulz123@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Because it’s corporate controlled embedded Linux, you aren’t guaranteed any freedom or control. Hell you aren’t even guaranteed access to a debug menu. Technically a car manufacturer could make a open a free car running embedded Linux that does give you freedom but the chances are absurdly low.

    source

    • Natanael@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      TiVoization

      source
  • QuandaleDingle@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Man, that sounds INCREDIBLE!!! Never heard of this! Linux on my pc, my laptop, my phone, and now my CAR! 🤣

    source

    • ozymandias117@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      That’s what most? cars used for a long time (there is also GENIVI)

      Many manufacturers are switching to Android as the base OS so they can just hire app developers rather than developers that know other UI toolkits

      source
  • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Gonna be honest. Its a multi thousand kilo death machine. I’m going to leave it to professionals to fuck with. I’m going to force as much of the liability on others as I can.

    source
• chunes@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  oh look another problem I’m too poor to have

  source

  • Cloudstash@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Yes, blame automotive business that you arent able to aquire a new car free, that falls in line with todays snowflake mentality.

    source

    • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      • nowhere in their comment are they saying they blame automakers by specifically
      • nowhere in their comment are they saying they should get cars for free

      Stop getting so offended, snowflake.

      source

      • -> View More Comments
    • Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      day old outrage account

      source
    • Mr_Dr_Oink@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      We found the biggest moron on the internet.

      source
    • InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Bait used to be believable

      source
    • Tiger666@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      What a piece of human detritus you are. Have a great day!

      source
    • Ledivin@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Offended by a simple comment but calls that person a snowflake. Prime loser mentality 👍 good work, snowflake.

      source
    • surewhynotlem@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Are you a billionaire or are you lazy?

      source
    • titanicx@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Got off mah lawn you damn kids!

      source

      • -> View More Comments
    • JamesBoeing737MAX@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      The cars (in EU) used to be under 20.000€ ~6 years ago. Yes, I understand inflation exists.

      source
• jordanlund@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  So manufacturers can bill you monthly for the same features…

  source
• jeena@piefed.jeena.net ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Why I like Android Auto:
  - I can plan my route on my phone at home and see the map on the big screen instead the little phone ui, or worse putting in the adress manually with the keyboard wheel in Korean instead of copy and pasting it from the Element chat
  - I already have all my music on my phone, I don’t want to copy and organize it again for hours in my car
  - I already have integration with many apps on my phone, I don’t want to set everything up again on the car, especially I can’t copy and paste my long ass passwords from my KeePassXC into the car and need to painstakingly put in every password with their clunky keyboard, if they even have a keyboard.

  I could go on forever. But as link as I can connect bluetooth and set up my phone somewhere so I can see the map while driving I’ll be OK. The worst part, at work what I do is car infotainment system software, but it never has any of the features I would want from a car.

  source

  • Atherel@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Plus if I rent a car that also has Android Auto I only have to pair it and all my stuff ia there.

    source
  • foggenbooty@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    In the car manufacturers mind, these are all uncommon issues because you should be using cloud services for everything.

    source
• dangercake@feddit.uk ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Removing smartphone integration from its vehicles opens the door for GM to grow its in-vehicle subscription revenue. Yep 💩

  source

  • IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I’ll happily celebrate whatever loss hits Google.

    but this is so shitty I prefer Google

    source
• ClydapusGotwald@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Money.

  There I wrote the whole article in one word.

  source
• Th4tGuyII@fedia.io ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Honestly, I think consumers allowing manufacturers to start integrating screens into cars was a mistake.

  Knobs and dials are way easier to nevigate blind (whilst focusing on the road like we're meant to), and none of that stops you plugging in your own third party device for other features, or replacing the headboard yourself.

  Giant tablets with complex menus are dangerous to drivers, and only serve to milk the consumer for things they already had access to in their car as standard not 10 years ago.

  source

  • warm@kbin.earth ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Yes. It needs heavy regulation, physical buttons is all the driver should have access to.

    We also need to ban subscription services in vehicles.

    Consumers cannot be trusted to spend responsibly and look out for their best interests.

    source
  • melsaskca@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    The consumers did not allow anything. This is the crap they were eventually forced to buy due to lack of any other options. Electro-mechanical-chemical vehicle with a delco radio should be enough. We adopt new tech because it exists, not because we should.

    source
  • EldritchFeminity@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    The bigger and more intrusive screens have gotten, the more sales of new cars have flagged. People are sick of them, and lawmakers are starting to catch up on regulating physical controls back into vehicles.

    The last time I bought a car one of my stipulations was a car no newer than 2016 because that was the last year that RAV4s had the small screens in the middle of the dashboard instead of mounted practically on the windshield, and the guy at the dealership that I talked to said that practically everybody who came in looking to buy a car had similar sentiments. People generally hate the big, intrusive screens, it’s just that car makers aren’t making any other options and then claim that that’s what people want.

    source
• cambodia@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Because GM sucks.

  People aren’t asking for much. They just want to plug in their phone and have navigation and music controls from their phone displayed on the infotainment.

  Won’t consider any car that cannot afford me this tiny bit of convenience.

  And GM has shitty reliability anyways.

  source

  • zipzoopaboop@lemmynsfw.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I’m perfectly happy with my 2012 car + magnetic phone holder

    source
  • SapphironZA@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Its not just GM, but their are certainly a good example of Enshitification.

    source
• LordCrom@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  2015 cars came with bluetooth support fir hands free calling using your phone. This was great.

  After that, it was replaced with carplay or android auto as the only means to get hands frwe calling. Stupid…stupid.

  Plus, last 2 new cars i bought, i had yo take the interior roof apart so i could access the buily in cellular antennae wire and remove that spyware P.O.S. And by the way, car works fine without it.

  source

  • daq@lemmy.sdf.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    They didn’t really replace it though. Pretty much every modern car sold today has Bluetooth. You don’t have to use android auto.

    source

    • Grabthar@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Yeah, I finally got a car with Android Auto earlier this year and was excited to get it. I thought it would basically let me mirror my phone on the car touchscreen, but instead, it only uses specific apps for things. I hate it. I just use Bluetooth for phone or with Revanced for audio and I park my phone in the cupholder for nav. Works better.

      source
  • amenotef@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I still use that Bluetooth everyday in my Mitsubishi Outlander. The only problem is that since December 2024 android release on Pixels it stopped connecting “media audio” automatically due to some timing issue or something. So I have to manually toggle that button on my phone since that day… (Google Pixel) And now Samsung seems to have the same issue since they started updating to newer android versions.

    source

    • titanicx@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I have a Samsung and I’ve had two of them this year actually three of them this year one fold three, one fold six, one s24 ultra and one pixel 9 and none of them have had this issue that you mentioned.

      source

      • -> View More Comments
  • ozymandias117@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    On most cars, it’s probably easier to unplug it on the head unit side. They’re generally designed to be accessed for repair

    source
  • CCMan1701A@startrek.website ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Toyota didn’t have Android Auto for many years after 2015

    source
• HisArmsOpen@crust.piefed.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  GM are saying that their customers want a more seamless integration. Shareholders are slavering at the idea of owners collared to their subscription system. Buyers need to stop buying cars with stupid subscriptions. My 2nd hand BMW has a heated steering wheel that requires an annual fee to use. Nope, heated gloves are the solution!

  source
• neon_nova@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I won’t buy a car without CarPlay.

  My current car has it and I love it. So I imagine Android users feel the same way.

  If there is truly no option, then my phone is getting the window/airvent mount option.

  I’ll never subscribe to their bs.

  source
• Strider@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Could it be money?

  It’s money, isn’t it?!

  source
• thethunderwolf@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  We need a Linux OS and DE for cars

  i use carch btw

  KDE Plasma Car: can use Customize Panel to move around physical parts of the car (HELP the steering wheel is inside the engine somehow HOWDOIFIXTHIS)

  source
• kieron115@startrek.website ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  How long until they start putting some kind of DRM in cars that prevents you from just installing an aftermarket android auto head unit?

  source
• ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  My take on Android Auto (I’m sure everyone wants to hear)

  pros:

  • free to choose the maps app you want (OsmAnd, Organic Maps, Google Maps or anything)
  • stream music for the app you want
  • decent voice control for maps and spotify
  • decent integration with some EV charging apps, you can find and initiate chargers from the dashboard
  • you can write your own Android Auto apps

  cons:

  • Android Auto app is very invasive, polluting phone with stupid notifications
  • the standard is shit. Android Auto doesn’t work work with Android Go phones but it’s not specified anywhere in the documentation, wireless Android Auto only works with latest android but it’s also not specified anywhere
  • it’s controlled by Google and there are no alternative implementations

  My solution so far is to use cheap, secondary phone for AA (which was hard to find because of the stupid limitations). If someone would create a open AA client not controlled by Google I would put it on my primary phone. AA should now work with Graphene OS so I may try to set it up in separate profile some day.

  source
• Imaginary_Stand4909@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Every day I get more thankful for my hand-me-down car. It has no heated seats or anything fancy, but that also means no subscriptions, no wifi tracking/stalking, no digital touch screen over physical buttons, etc. It’s given me time to see how others feel about Android Auto and features in newer cars, and I can make an informed decision whenever my baby decides to kick the bucket. Hopefully I can get something not too stalkerish nor with subscriptions.

  source
• melsaskca@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  The big question is why we started adding computer operating systems to our vehicles to begin with. But the answer is still the same as ClydapusGotwald states…money. I’m starting to think the answer to most of the worlds woes is…money. Maybe money has been the problem all of this time. Fuck money. We can utilize our resources and feed and house everyone without that shit but then there wouldn’t be any space billionaires and we need them to save us all. /s

  source
• jodanlime@midwest.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I can’t wait to get a rental car that doesn’t allow me to use my own maps.

  source
• Zen_Shinobi@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I’ll just take a bluetooth battery powered speaker in my car if they keep locking it down

  source
• just_another_person@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Way to make people hate your cars even more.

  source
• sturmblast@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Knows are better

  source
• _NetNomad@fedia.io ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  the only integration i want between my phone and my car is a 3.5mm audio jack. i'm driving a 2016 right now and am dreading replacing it because i doubt i'll be able to find anything without this "infotainment" crap. i thought i had read that those were being phased out because consumers unilaterally hated them, so reading the opposite here is a huge bummer

  source
• SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Fucking clickbait titles jfc

  source
• arararagi@ani.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I hate techno feudalism so much.

  source
• Eryn6844@piefed.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  oh sweet jebus i gues i am buying a 1980s car then. screw this crap. I own my car you are not getting any of my money.

  source
• YaksDC@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I don’t own a car but I rent them a lot. Part of my “go bag” includes blue tack. A semi sticky putty that doesn’t leave a residue. I use this to stick my phone to the surface of whatever screen is in the car. This puts it right where I can see it and interact with it easily. Then I don’t have to learn a new system in every different car I drive.

  source
• Kolanaki@pawb.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Because it sucks ass anyway?

  source