The car manufacturer wants to benefit from Google's IT competence, driver data should not be passed on.
From 2023, Ford will use Google Maps and the Internet company's voice assistant in its vehicles as standard. This is part of a far-reaching cooperation announced on Monday.
Google is also set to become the central provider of cloud services for the US auto giant – and the infotainment systems in Ford cars will run with Android as the operating system.
User data
The role of Google is limited mainly to the interaction of the occupants with the vehicle. Ford wants to use the infrastructure built up with the internet company, among other things, to transmit vehicle data, for example for maintenance recommendations to workshops. With the help of Google, Ford also wants to activate its production and supply chain.
The car manufacturer refers, among other things, to the competence of the Internet group in machine learning and the recognition of objects. Google does not get any data from Ford customers for its own use, emphasized Ford manager David McClelland.
Apple's CarPlay platform, with which you can bring Apple services such as maps and music from a connected iPhone to the screen of the infotainment system, will continue to be supported. McClelland emphasized that Amazon's voice assistant Alexa will also continue to be used.
Ford's own software Sync, with which the infotainment systems previously ran, will be retired with the change. The various model series of the Ford and Lincoln brands are to be converted gradually from 2023 onwards. China, where Google services are not available, is excluded.
Tech collaborations
Industry experts have been anticipating for years that car manufacturers will increasingly resort to collaborations with tech companies. The focus is on the interactions with the occupants – because users want to use their smartphone apps and services in the car.
Like Apple, Google offers software for integrating smartphones with the Group's Android operating system. At the same time, the group also has a special operating system for vehicles with Android Automotive. Young brands such as Volvo's Polestar are already making use of this – but also major Ford rivals such as General Motors, Renault and Nissan, as well as Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat and Chrysler want to rely on Android Automotive.
