The Alliance chooses Google for the future multimedia system.

It’s an announcement that has made noise: the Alliance (Renault Nissan Mitsubishi) has chosen Google as a partner for the future multimedia system to arrive in 2021 according to the press release. Normally the Clio V should inaugurate the R-Link 3 so the system with Google should be the R-Link 4.

This R-Link 4 will run on Android but unlike R-Link 1 & 2 it will be a version certified by Google. What does it change? Everything! R-Link 1 & 2 actually work on Android versions (called OASP) but it is  technical bases, for the user it’s invisible. To develop applications, it is up to Renault to do it at the cost of big efforts. The result is a very poor catalog of applications. Moreover Android versions used was not intended to go in a car but in a smartphone, which caused great difficulties to Renault to stabilize all this (customers remember).

Alliance Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Motors – Logo

This R-Link 4 being Google certified will have the Play Store directly in the car. This Play Store should not give access to all Android apps but only those suitable for driving like the Play Store for Android TV. But that changes everything! It is up to the developer to offer his application adapted to Google while respecting the recommendations of applications dedicated to the car so that it is available to all! Knowing that the agreement concerns the world’s largest group in terms of volume and other manufacturers are in the process of making similar agreements, I do not worry about the attractiveness of the platform for developers. We should have a wide choice and especially a follow up in terms of update as the applications of our smartphone.

Google Maps will be directly accessible, but nothing will prevent to choose another navigation application such as TomTom which has a great Android application (TomTom which fell in the stock market following this announcement). Same for audio streaming applications, Deezer and Co should be available directly in the vehicle.

The press release also talks about  OTA (over the air): the update is downloaded directly into the vehicle but it has already been announced for the R-Link 3. Last thing, iPhone owners reassure themselves , this system will be well compatible with Carplay.

I think this agreement is a leap forward for customers because Google has some legitimacy (and means …), I look forward to discover this system but it will have to be patient!

The RENAULT press release: LINK