Renault Alliance Adopts Google’s Android Platform

The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance has agreed to power its next-generation infotainment systems with Google’s Android operating system.

The first of the new systems will debut in 2021, according to the companies. The in-car platform will integrate Google’s maps, app store and voice-activated Alexa digital assistant.

Experts note that consumers already favor the apps in their smartphone over those created by carmakers. Most companies have been wary about surrendering control of their vehicle’s infotainment system to an outside vendor.

But Kal Mos, the alliance’s head of connected vehicles, tells The Wall Street Journal that Google won the trust of the group’s leadership in the past few years. One reason: Google has been open-sourcing its software for more than a decade.

Neither company has divulged details about the new partnership. Mos says Google will have access to data generated by its in-vehicle Android apps—but only after customers grant permission to do so.

The Journal notes that the deal will eventually spread to millions of vehicles made by the alliance, which last year sold about 10.6 million cars and trucks worldwide.