Google to integrate AI tech into Android Auto system

Google is planning to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) systems into its Android Auto in-car technology.

Designed to allow drivers to ‘stay focused on the road’ while still being able to communicate safely when behind the wheel, the new version of Android Auto will use AI to automatically summarise long texts or ‘busy group chats’ to make them simpler to decipher when driving.

To reply, the system will be capable of suggesting relevant replies and actions that the driver will be able to take via the car’s main screen and, most importantly, without touching their smartphone. The tech giant says that the new Android Auto system will allow owners to ‘enjoy the best of their smartphone in the car’.

Google says that, for example, it would allow a driver to easily access a location shared by a friend and plug it into their Maps system at the press of a button. The system would also give drivers the option to let their friend know their estimated time of arrival all through a series of simplified inputs.

The update was announced alongside the introduction of Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 series smartphone. Google also added that future Android Auto systems would be able to reflect this new Galaxy’s appearance so that an owner’s personal wallpaper and icons would be transferred seamlessly to the car’s infotainment.

A number of carmakers already use Google’s Automotive system to power their in-car infotainment systems. Brands such as Volvo and Polestar both use the brand’s know-how as a basis for their own car entertainment systems, so there’s a likelihood that these new AI-based services could also be used by car manufacturers too.