Google and Renault collaborate to bring Android Automitive OS to Renault/Dacia cars

Renault Group announces the extension of the initial 4-year partnership signed in 2018 with to “develop advanced software” for future generations of vehicles developed under the French manufacturer’s umbrella.

Continuing the partnership from 2018, Renaul Group and Google are talking about the concept of “software-defined vehicle”, a pompous term used to describe the deeper integration of the Android Automotive platform with future car models produced by Renault Group, including those included under the Dacia brand. Specifically, future Renault cars will have much better integration with Google’s ecosystem of services, from what are considered basic facilities such as Gmail and Google Maps, to cloud services providing automatic synchronization of functions directly related to the in-car experience, such as remote control of the climate control system, calculating routes customized to the specifics of your car (e.g. electric drive, with xx range).

All in all, the partnership with Google would allow Renaul Group to deliver a software experience at a level of quality only achieved so far by Tesla, avoiding the “trap” that Volkswagen has already fallen into, trying and failing with its plan to develop its own software for the ID. series of electric vehicles.

The first deal was just to introduce Android into millions of vehicles produced under the Renaul Group brands. Today’s announcement aims to take this collaboration to the next level. Google and Renault describe the creation of a “Digital Twin”, representing a virtual copy of the real car, featuring advanced artificial intelligence capabilities “for easier and seamless integration of new services into the vehicle and for the delivery of advanced In-Car services.

According to the description given by the two companies, each Renault car will have a duplicate in the virtual luma, the car can tell the driver when it needs maintenance or even attempt to automatically fix certain problems. In addition, vehicle owners will be able to create a personalised experience that includes driving behaviour, frequented destinations and EV charging locations. And insurance models can be built using real data from the car itself.

Google has been trying to enter the car space for over a decade, but its efforts have been somewhat stymied by automakers worried that they might see their dominance undermined by tech companies. Meanwhile, we have multiple examples of automakers with decades-long histories that have failed miserably in their attempts to transition to the new world focused more on technology and much less on the purely mechanical aspects of cars coming off the line.