Android Automotive it is for S650 Mustang (Ford ditching SYNC 4)

[IceGamer]

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2022/04/ford-delays-switch-to-android-automotive-until-2023/

Just read this article quoting Jim Farley. He says that Ford is ditching Sync 4 in favour of Google based Android Automotive. He says that they don't want a genertic infotainmentsystem for the Mustang and that early F150 Lightnings have to be shipped with the old Sync 4 due to some delay, which cannot be updated to Android Automotive.

I'm looking forward to that as Google has hands down the best maps and since the interior is somewhat generic from what we've seen this far, a non generic infotainment would be much appreciated.

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[DRB]

Yeah, I've been plugging my phone in, everywhere I go, for years rather than use the Sync system. Good call.

 

[StangGang93]

Why not Apple Car play

 

[DRB]

Why not Apple Car play

More people use Android. Apple has the largest market share, but a minority of devices.

 

[Ericc B]

Why not Apple Car play

Apple car play isn't an in car entertainment system. Neither is Android Auto. Android Automotive is, it's Google's equivalent of Sync4.

 

[shogun32]

never fear citizen, your GPS location will be tracked at all times and sold to advertisers in real-time. bilboard signs along the highway telling you about the restaurants, 5 miles ahead and turn Right?

Pishtosh - full-screen, full-audio advert on your screen baby. And a coupon code too. The limited lane-keeping feature will change over to self-driving and rip the wheel out of your hand and your car will end up in the parking lot. All during which ultra-sonic waves have been feeding you subliminal messages, tricking your brain into thinking you're hungry, and that yes, going to the joint was your idea all along.

Embrace the future of automatoin and distributed data analytics and the Powa of the Dark Side^H^H^H AI to rule^H^H^H^H shape your life.

This message has been approved by RoboCop acting in it's authority as Judge Jury and Sheeple-Herder.

 

[IceGamer]

never fear citizen, your GPS location will be tracked at all times and sold to advertisers in real-time. bilboard signs along the highway telling you about the restaurants, 5 miles ahead and turn Right?

Pishtosh - full-screen, full-audio advert on your screen baby. And a coupon code too. The limited lane-keeping feature will change over to self-driving and rip the wheel out of your hand and your car will end up in the parking lot. All during which ultra-sonic waves have been feeding you subliminal messages, tricking your brain into thinking you're hungry, and that yes, going to the joint was your idea all along.

Embrace the future of automatoin and distributed data analytics and the Powa of the Dark Side^H^H^H AI to rule^H^H^H^H shape your life.

This message has been approved by RoboCop acting in it's authority as Judge Jury and Sheeple-Herder.

Just don't buy the convertible or your tin foil hat might fall off...

Besides, what's the problem with individual ads? It's not like one is forced to buy stuff... It's just an offer that would otherwise be different but ultimately it's you who makes the decission to buy something or to go to the restaurant...

 

[IceGamer]

More people use Android. Apple has the largest market share, but a minority of devices.

I don't get the "lagest market share"... They have like what 15%? The rest is Android... They might sell more phones than Samsung or Xiaomi or whoever individually but all the others are using Android. It really doesn't matter if you buy a Chinese or Korean product as they are all almost the same. Apple has nice products but their restictive policy and limited software always bothered me.
Besides, I'm pretty sure they'll offer Apple Carplay as well and from what I can tell it's pretty good as long as one is an Apple user (in my BMW Carplay is much better than Android Auto which I rarely use).

 

[Flipzide]

Not too surprised. I never really enjoyed infotainment OSes and I've opted for CarPlay or Android Auto via a phone whenever available.

Did a little bit of digging because I was hoping for CarPlay compatibility. For anyone else that's curious, I found an article from Volvo since they run Android Automotive in some of the newer models and it seems to be on the roadmap for compatibility. Just not out yet. I'd expect the same from Ford eventually.

https://accessories.volvocars.com/en-gb/XC60(18-)/Accessories/Document/VCC-521199/2022

 

[Mazman]

E.g. Polestar 2 is running similar setup
Like it

 

[Ericc B]

E.g. Polestar 2 is running similar setup
Like it

Renault will be running it on their new Megane E-Tech EV as well.

 

[DRB]

I don't get the "largest market share"... They have like what 15%? The rest is Android... They might sell more phones than Samsung or Xiaomi or whoever individually but all the others are using Android. It really doesn't matter if you buy a Chinese or Korean product as they are all almost the same. Apple has nice products but their restictive policy and limited software always bothered me.

Yeah, that's pretty much it. Apple sells more branded smartphones and, I believe, more personal computers and laptops than any other single brand. But that's because the technology of non-Apple devices is more open architecture and has been since the 1980s when you could build an IBM-type desktop from parts you ordered separately from different manufacturers in the classified pages of electronics mags - a motherboard from here, a 5 1/2-inch floppy drive from someone else, etc.

I'm not sure I've bought more than two computers from the same manufacturer over the last forty years. But they all run Windows.

 

[Mazman]

Renault will be running it on their new Megane E-Tech EV as well.

I have been thinking of ditching my ID3 for one of those. Seems to be a nice car for daily activities

 

[Hillsndale]

"since the 1980s when you could build an IBM-type desktop from parts you ordered separately from different manufacturers in the classified pages of electronics mags - a motherboard from here, a 5 1/2-inch floppy drive from someone else, etc."

Building your own computer from parts is very much alive and well. Only difference is it is much easier now because there are so many vendors online. People are doing some amazing builds and I don't mean just performance wise, very creative field out there.

Edit: To get back on topic, can we hope this is the beginning of an evolution to open source and cross platform compatibility?

 

[Ericc B]

Edit: To get back on topic, can we hope this is the beginning of an evolution to open source and cross platform compatibility?

I doubt that. Android Automotive is as closed as Sync3 or Sync4 and because it runs large parts of the vehicle user interface Ford will want and need to keep control over it.

I just hope it doesn't end up being a nightmare project like the last time Ford outsourced this type of work (the My Ford Touch project with Microsoft). And frankly I think it's rather weird that they are ditching Sync4 so quickly, especially since they already put a lot of effort in making it EV compatible too. It's hard to know what's going on on inside these projects but it looks like even large employers like Ford ultimately have trouble with the continuity of their ICE specialist IT staff and are forced to give it up to behemoths like Google.

Btw for those interested in the inside of this type of projects, make sure to watch this super interesting video about the My Ford Touch project, that eventually resulted in Sync2:

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