[majormajor]

There's been some controversy about data collection going the other way the Android side. https://www.motortrend.com/features/13-cool-facts-about-the-...

> As part of the agreement an automaker would have to enter with Google, Porsche said certain pieces of data must be collected and transmitted back to Mountain View, California. Stuff like vehicle speed, throttle position, coolant and oil temp, engine revs—basically Google wants a complete OBD2 dump whenever someone activates Android Auto.

> Google, for its part, disputes some of our source's assertions. Liz Markman, a Google spokesperson for Android Auto, said in a statement that Google does not collect some of the data listed by Porsche, such as throttle position and coolant temp. She declined to provide a full list of what data is collected, but emphasized that Android Auto users must opt in to share any information upon their first connection of their phone to a car. She said some of that data is used for safety (restricting typing and allowing only voice input when the car is not in "park," for example) and some is to used to optimize the app's user experience.

So seems like Android Auto requires at least some data from the car, as of 2015. Porsche ended up adding it in 2022, though, so maybe they stopped fighting that battle.

I'm not sure which I want less - the phone company getting data from my car, or the car company getting data from the phone.

[guessbest]

Its a shame that OBD2 information would be shared with Google, but not the driver. I would like to see performance data on my car in real time that is more comprehensive than what is displayed on the dash. Also, restricting typing and voice input only are two of the biggest annoyances I have with carplay. It would be easier to let me stop at a light and type or pinch and zoom for maps, but the car monitor is very, very limited compared with using an iPad. If they remove these features, I'll just get a computer stand with place it over the monitor in my next car.

[fingerlocks]

This must vary with manufacturer. The CarPlay in my vehicle never restricts input. I can even manipulate the CarPlay with my Apple Watch, which feels much more dangerous than using a phone. Not sure why that’s a thing.

[ethbr0]

This doesn't surprise me. My observation with Google product teams partnering is that they start from the assumption that the price of working with them is whatever data they want.

Pushback = "Fine, we won't do a deal"

Felt like watching railroads negotiate with local government.

[scarface74]

This very attitude is what prompted Apple to drop Google for its native Maps app.

[Mindwipe]

And was a catastrophe for Apple.

[scarface74]

I doubt very seriously that Apple lost any sales and there were third party apps like Mapquest that offered real time directions before the Maps app had them at all.

[philsnow]

was. It's gotten a lot better.

[balls187]

Yes. It only took 6 years to catch up.

Google has better POI support, but I now use Apple Maps for pretty much all my nav needs.

[ethbr0]

6 years (and all the money) seems a decent trade off for strategic autonomy, and cutting a foot off Google-on-iPhone.

I.e. why lock down permissions if Google would get location data from every phone through Google Maps anyway.

Furthermore, it decreases the value of Google Maps by depriving them of traffic data (something that really only works at scale when the maps user base is "most people").

[hef19898]

Oh dear... I never thought it was that bad... Well, one more reason to stick with simple USB or Bluetooth connections for calls and music in cars and never even remotely touch Android Auto or something similar. If it is a piece of hardware, I want to own it. No subscriptions, no phoning home for ehatever reason (as a functional requirement for said hardware or legal reason, well, not much choice here). If someone needs and wants OBD data from my cars, they'll have to plug in I guess. And I don't have any issue with garages doing it for diagnostics. Over the air, through my phone, to Google, just for me to stream music? No way!

All I hope now is, that your plain old Bluetooth connection doesn't do anything like that... If it wasn't for economic reasons (read: dreadfully bad MPG), my 40 year old Range Rover would propably be my daily driver one day, good luck getting tracking data out of that car!

[FractalParadigm]

If that's the case, how are 3rd-party head units allowed to use AA? I know for an absolute fact that mine recieves exactly zero data from the car outside a simple +12v signal that tells the radio to turn on/off. Do aftermarket radios exist that require a CAN connection? If so, how could they even be certain the radio even 'understands' the flavour of CAN being used by the car? How about more modern cars that have their CAN systems near-completely locked down?

[majormajor]

I would imagine that Google's negotiations with, say, Pioneer are different than theirs with GM.

If Google (or Apple) thinks that having it onboard is gonna be worth some data sharing, or whatever else they want, to the manufacturer they're gonna push for that even if they have different terms for aftermarket equipment. "Just buy an aftermarket radio" isn't really a good marketing campaign for an auto manufacturer to make up for a lack of the integration, after all.

[tadfisher]

Well, that and the fact that no manufacturer ships a double-DIN hole in the dash any more, so it's pretty much impossible to get an aftermarket head unit. That said, there was one Chinese Android-based unit that was made for the 3rd-gen Mazda 3, replacement screen on the dash and everything.

[iainmerrick]

Not to disagree, but as I recall it, the big problem with modular head units was that people would just break into cars and steal them. Having your car radio stolen was fairly common when I was a kid.

[davemp]

I’m sure that could be addressed with some sort of crypto signing strategy.

[hedora]

If you care at all about android slurping data from your car, then why are you using that phone in the first place?

It’s already pulling way more information than the car telemetry.

[throwawayapples]

> I'm not sure which I want less - the phone company getting data from my car, or the car company getting data from the phone.

Insane and creepy. but at least Google knows something of security. Most car manufacturers do not.

[muro]

Automatic volume adjustment probably needs access to engine revs.

[ajdude]

Yeah but this is par for the course for android, it's less about android auto and more about Google being Google.

Reclaim your privacy. Buy an iPhone.

[jacooper]

Lol, you believe apple actually cares about your privacy? No mainstream phone does, want a true privacy-respecting and usable phone? Buy a pixel and install grapheneOS on it.