The primary keynote of Google I/O just finished, and Google announced a lot of new stuff. One of Google’s biggest announcements today is Android Auto, a smart, Android based infotainment system.
Android Auto, unlike Apple’s CarPlay, isn’t built into the center console, but pushes to it from your Android phone. This connection is established using a cable, but hopefully Bluetooth LE is used down the road. (pun intended) Google showed off how Android Auto allows you to play music, send texts, initiate voice calls and navigate with Google Maps. Google has accomplished all this with its new L level API which will be the same on all of Google’s platforms, including smartphones, watches, cars, TV and Chrome.
On stage, Google demoed how to control music with your voice. Say play music, or the name of the song/artist, and music starts blasting through your car stereo. Large on-screen buttons can be used to play/pause, skip tracks and like the song.
Another demo showed how you can receive text messages and then respond via voice. I assume you will also be able to take or deny calls using Android Auto as well.
Finally, Google used its search and navigation service to display how voice could be used to look for a destination, then have it give you directions there . Once navigation was initiated, directions were spoken to the user in order to reduce interaction while driving.
This is only the first day of Google I/O, so stick around to hear more about Android Auto, and all the other cool stuff announced during the I/O keynote.