LAS VEGAS — In March, BMW will integrate Google's Android Automotive infotainment operating system into some of its vehicles.
BMW is following a growing coterie of automakers leveraging Google's operating system to deliver third-party apps and bring new technologies to its vehicles quicker.
But unlike some of its peers that are diving into the deep end, the automaker is only dipping its toes into the Android operating system.
Because BMW wants to create and manage its onboard features, the company will adopt a variant that gives it greater control over customers' data and allows it to develop a custom infotainment experience.
Other automakers, such as Volvo and its EV affiliate Polestar, have chosen the more full-featured Google Automotive Services operating system that takes over the vehicle's infotainment system and offers Google services such as Gmail and Google Maps. BMW's path is different.
"We are not using Google Services because it does not meet our requirements," said Stephan Durach, BMW Group senior vice president of the Connected Company unit.
For instance, Google Services does not integrate well with BMW's in-house navigation system because the operating system doesn't have access to vehicle data, Durach told Automotive News on the sidelines of CES 2023.