Google Maps, Assistant Could Arrive in Porsche Cockpits as Carmaker Considers Software Integration

Porsche had previously been reluctant to use Google software as the tech giant asked for too much data to be shared.

By Reuters | Updated: 12 January 2023 18:27 IST

Google Maps, Assistant Could Arrive in Porsche Cockpits as Carmaker Considers Software Integration

Photo Credit: Reuters

Porsche had previously been reluctant to use Google software due to concerns over data sharing

Highlights

Deal will be applicable to Porsche, not Volkswagen
Porsche official had confirmed contact with Google, Apple in October 2022
Google, Apple, Amazon are competing to dominate car dashboards

Porsche is considering fully integrating Google software into its car cockpit, a source close to the company said on Thursday, marking a shift in strategy for the newly listed carmaker.

The deal, which is only being considered for the Porsche brand and not the Volkswagen Group more widely, would enable Porsche customers access to Google applications like Google Maps and Google Assistant without needing to connect the car to an Android phone.

Spokespeople for Porsche and Google were not immediately available for comment. A spokesperson for Volkswagen software unit Cariad declined to comment.

These Antitrust Directives for Android have Spooked Google in India

Porsche Chief Financial Officer Lutz Meschke said on a conference call last October that the company was in close contact with Google and Apple as well as Baidu, Tencent and Alibaba in China following the end of its cooperation with Volkswagen's Cariad unit on software research and development.

Porsche had previously been reluctant to use Google software because Google asked for too much data to be shared, according to Manager Magazin, which first reported the talks.

Technology companies from Google to Apple and Amazon are in a race to control carmakers' dashboards as software becomes an integral part of car design.

Google May Soon Make eSIM Profile Transfer Easier for Android Users

Carmakers including General Motors, Renault, Nissan, and Ford use embedded Google technology in their vehicles via a Google Automotive Services (GAS) package, offering features like Google Maps, Google Assistant and other applications.

But some automakers are wary of allowing the tech giants unfettered access to the data generated by connected cars, or to allow them to displace the automakers' brands with their own in dashboard displays.

BMW, for example, was "definitely not taking the path" of integrating GAS into its cars, a spokesperson said on Thursday: "It is important to the company to keep hold of the customer interface," they said.

Porsche Design PDT40 True Wireless Earphones With ANC Launched: Details

Porsche, which overtook its former parent as Europe's most valuable carmaker after listing on the stock exchange last September, reported earlier on Thursday a 3 percent rise in deliveries in 2022.

5G is now available both on Android and iPhone in India. But is it any good? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Further reading: Google, Porsche, Google Maps, Google Assistant, Android, BMW, Ford, Renault, General Motors, Volkswagen, Nissan, Amazon, Tencent, Baidu, Alibaba