BMW left fans in awe with its latest announcement. The German manufacturer is finally ready to introduce Android Auto into its cars beginning in July 2020. The future of the BMW will also be wireless Android Auto, becoming one of the few brands to provide Google’s smartphone-developed in-car infotainment feature. The great thing is that it won’t require anymore to be a plug-in.
Android Auto will be first seen on BMW next year, and it will bring the 7.0 version of the company’s in-car system, dubbed iDrive. It will also introduce the company’s “Live Cockpit Professional” hardware, which is actually a bigger touchscreen. Series 3, 5, 7, and 8 of 2019/2020 BMW will get such features, alongside the latest X3, X5, and X7 SUVs. It will also come for the 2020 X6 SUV, too. However, owners should only use smartphones based on Android, such as Samsung, Pixel, or Nexus.
BMW Is Finally Ready to Introduce Android Auto Feature in 2020
BMW is one of the last biggest manufacturers running on Android Auto, especially after Toyota announced later this year that it was finally ready to bring owners the functionality for some 2020 models. Toyota, however, will also introduce Apple CarPlay for free. BMW, on the other hand, has provided Apple’s CarPlay for a while now, but the manufacturer charged owners some extra cash to utilize it.
The last week’s decision, though, replaced that option, and owners can enjoy now a free service. As for why did it took Germans so long to introduce Android Auto, a BMW spokesperson detailed that “the majority of our customers were using iOS mobile devices” over the last years. Apple CarPlay represented BMW’s first aim. Currently, owners “have made it clear though that they would like to have Android Auto integration available going forward, which that leads us to today’s announcement,” said the spokesperson.
