I imagine they’ll try to make this increasingly difficult; maybe even impossible.

I just had a little magnetic clip for my air vent where I could attach my phone and put up a map.

I'd sooner go back to doing that than use a "Gemini-based AI assistant" in my fucking car.

That's another reason the manufacturers are increasingly locking vehicle features behind the touchscreen. If you buy a 3rd party replacement, you can't control the AC.

Are you talking about music/NAV systems or CEOs?

Car mechanics are basically going to need to become hackers.

99% of them won't, but yeah, a couple will figure out how to 'unlock' your car, like a smartphone, install a custom OS on it.

I'd rip out the touch screen SO fast

Good luck. Everything is integrated now with nonstandard form factors. The work and cost to do my 2020 transit is ridiculous. Phone mount and Bluetooth it is.

For the most part, it's believed that carmakers are doing way with Android Auto support simply as a way to expand their control over user data. Because Android Auto utilizes your phone's connection, all of the data that runs through it goes straight to Android and the phone manufacturer. So, by utilizing built-in systems, the car manufacturers would indeed be able to collect more data about how you use the systems in place, while also possibly getting more money out of you through subscriptions.

You are unfortunately correct.

And then carmakers will cry that Chinese cars are reading over the market.

It's not free you know.

Yes, the software doesn't cost anything but the chipset is supplied by a single manufacturer Qualcomm and costs a bomb.

I'll happily celebrate whatever loss hits Google.

but this is so shitty I prefer Google

I'm perfectly happy with my 2012 car + magnetic phone holder

Its not just GM, but their are certainly a good example of Enshitification.

https://www.automotivelinux.org/

You probably can, just nobody bothers to do it. My Subaru has installable apps. Hell older Hondas (and possibly current ones) just run android. You can even get to the regular android UI on them.

You can, but it's a Google filled minefield. A good view of it is reading into all of the trouble of using Android Auto in GrapheneOS without destroying all the privacy protections. It's essentially impossible to get navigation going without doing so, but audio for music and phone calls can be done with some hoop jumping. You're still probably better off just using bluetooth though.

I imagine you could wire your own mechanical switch to that steering wheel. Fuck them for doing that though.

As a BMW tech, what car has a subscription for the heated wheel?

So, by utilizing built-in systems, the car manufacturers would indeed be able to collect more data about how you use the systems in place, while also possibly getting more money out of you through subscriptions.

It's not money. The executives of these companies revealed the reason they are doing this is because they believe they can provide a better end user experience. They wouldn't lie would they?

Help I used grub to switch engines but forgot to switch fuel type now it only boots into emergency mode

Plus if I rent a car that also has Android Auto I only have to pair it and all my stuff is there.

In the car manufacturers mind, these are all uncommon issues because you should be using cloud services for everything.

Because it's corporate controlled embedded Linux, you aren't guaranteed any freedom or control. Hell you aren't even guaranteed access to a debug menu. Technically a car manufacturer could make a open a free car running embedded Linux that does give you freedom but the chances are absurdly low.

Something something year of the Linux car

Man, that sounds INCREDIBLE!!! Never heard of this! Linux on my pc, my laptop, my phone, and now my CAR! 🤣

Gonna be honest. Its a multi thousand kilo death machine. I'm going to leave it to professionals to fuck with. I'm going to force as much of the liability on others as I can.

My car is from the 2010s.

I bought a GPS looking screen for $40 that has android auto and carplay. I already have Bluetooth added onto the radio for audio streaming.

Works perfectly for GPS off of my phone and as a media controller.

Only thing I'm missing is steering wheel controls.

You also have a Bluetooth FM transmitter, so they phone audio becomes just another reason station. You can even get a Bluetooth remote control for common media functions to put on the dash.

The bigger and more intrusive screens have gotten, the more sales of new cars have flagged. People are sick of them, and lawmakers are starting to catch up on regulating physical controls back into vehicles.

The last time I bought a car one of my stipulations was a car no newer than 2016 because that was the last year that RAV4s had the small screens in the middle of the dashboard instead of mounted practically on the windshield, and the guy at the dealership that I talked to said that practically everybody who came in looking to buy a car had similar sentiments. People generally hate the big, intrusive screens, it's just that car makers aren't making any other options and then claim that that's what people want.

The consumers did not allow anything. This is the crap they were eventually forced to buy due to lack of any other options. Electro-mechanical-chemical vehicle with a delco radio should be enough. We adopt new tech because it exists, not because we should.

Yes. It needs heavy regulation, physical buttons is all the driver should have access to.

We also need to ban subscription services in vehicles.

Consumers cannot be trusted to spend responsibly and look out for their best interests.

You want the Rental+ package for an extra $39.99, which enables the car's built-in Garmin.