DailyTech - GM, Google Join Forces to Add OnStar Features to Android Volt App

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Auto GM, Google Join Forces to Add OnStar Features to Android Volt App
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - May 18, 2010 9:49 AM

16 comment(s) - last by sebmel.. on May 18 at 9:52 PM

New features make it easy to find the car and drive to other locations

One of the most anticipated of the green vehicles to be announced in the last few years has been the Chevy Volt. The car is now getting very close to full-scale production and the first buyers should have the keys to their Volts by year’s end.

In addition to talking about the safety and efficiency of the vehicle, GM has been working hard to make the Volt one of the most connected cars ever produced. The Volt app for Blackberry and the Motorola Droid running on the Android platform has been talked about before. The app will offer the driver a wealth of data on their Volt including the battery capacity reaming, the electric driving range, the total range available using the gasoline generator, and more. The app can also let the driver choose when to start charging the car's internal batteries and get notifications about the charge status.

GM has announced that it is working with Google to add even more interesting features to the Volt mobile app for the Android platform. The new features will be unveiled at the Google I/O conference running this week in San Francisco. The new feature will interface the Android app with the OnStar features of the GM vehicle.

“While OnStar will never lose sight of our core focus on safety and security, this relationship is an example of how we’re evolving our leadership position in connected vehicle technology,” said Chris Preuss, OnStar president. “What we’re talking about today is only the beginning.”

The Android app is getting a new navigation tab that will be added to the home screen. The tab will offer features that let the owner of a Volt find where exactly their car is on Google Maps and get directions to the car from wherever they might be.AC

The app will also let the driver get directions from the vehicle current location to another destination using voice search. The directions can be sent from the Android device directly to the Volt where OnStar can provide turn-by-turn directions to the new location. The new navigation features will not be offered on the app when it launches, the features will be added into version 2.0. Exactly when version 2.0 will launch is unknown.

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I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By PAPutzback on 5/18/2010 10:25:38 AM , Rating: 2

I went to a technet meeting last week and hear some ofthe philosphy they pitch really makes you wonder what they are thinking out their in Redmond. Android is going to throughly take over the market. I would expect them to catch up to RIM in the next year after flying buy Apple so quickly.

RE: I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By Yawgm0th on 5/18/2010 11:23:28 AM , Rating: 3

I wouldn't. Don't get me wrong, I love Android. I'm thinking of ditching AT&T and my Bold for Verizon and Droid when my contract is up, and I really love my BlackBerry.

That said, Android isn't a business-oriented as BlackBerry OS. Ultimately, Android is a toy. I don't mean that in a patronizing sense. I love my toys. A business user generally doesn't need a toy. They need to send and receive emails, text messages, and phone calls. A cheap BlackBerry Curve does those tasks extremely efficiently. The keyboards are great, and the interface is well geared towards efficient phone use. The trackpad on newer Curves, Bolds, and the Tour takes out what I consider the last valid complaint about BlackBerry hardware -- the trackball. The latest web browser (as well as Opera Mobile for BB) is generally excellent, and support for the major formats (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, PDF) is good.

Android is pretty good and the apps and features do top BlackBerry, but I don't think it can be as business-oriented as BlackBerry OS, nor as manageable from an IT standpoint. Business are a big part of the smartphone market, and I don't think they will migrate in significant numbers.

I think Android will dominate the consumer market. Apple, Palm, and Microsoft simply don't have anything compelling by comparison. The marketing hype of the iPhone is dying down thanks in no small part to Droid, and people are quickly switching to Android devices. Palm is okay, and WinMo 7 is a step in the wrong direction. RIM and Android are going to more or less run a "duopoly" in the smartphone market.

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RE: I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By DanNeely on 5/18/2010 12:06:47 PM , Rating: 2

While you're probably right in the short to medium term; the desire of people to use the same phone for personal and business use and companies switching from buying and paying for employee cell phones to simply giving them subsidy to spend as they wish (this is being driven by tax rules of some sort) is going to result in a lot of people wanting to connect an android phone to the corporate network. Eventually I expect someone, whether Google for the platform as a while, or HTC/Motorola/etc to gain an initial competitive advantage will write a series of patches to android that give it the features that makes corporate IT like blackberries best.

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RE: I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By omnicronx on 5/18/2010 12:30:59 PM , Rating: 3

In the end the BB network was built with big business in mind, and Android (nor anyone else) can make this claim. I'm not sure if you realize the amount of control that BB's have over any of their competitors.

Merely patching the Android interface and having exchange support is not going to change that and certainly does not equate to BB's current offerings. (which will also progress as time goes on).

In the end if the cost benefit of having a stable network that integrates very well with corperate IT very well may cancel out any tax break that you will receive if they were to go the subsidy route. You can't just look at the cost of the device and assume these are the only costs involved.

It is also very much so is nightmare to support various devices. Meanwhile with BB you only have to support certain devices that you have chosen to deploy on your network. These devices are all tested and are pretty much guaranteed to work. With all the Android fragmentation, this would be a nightmare.

Basically I don't think this dream will ever be realized until Android fragmentation becomes more limited, which is suppose to be by Android 3.*.

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RE: I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By PAPutzback on 5/18/2010 12:42:40 PM , Rating: 2

I already know of several large banks that have their IT staff looking at Android based phones and in the healthcare industry you support whatever the doctors want. We are already starting to look at iPads to replace the Fujitsu tablets in the offsite offices and we do have some MDs with iPhones who have to be supported.

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RE: I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By sebmel on 5/18/2010 9:00:13 PM , Rating: 2

iPhone 4 is coming out with the CPU from the iPad.
Read AnandTech's review of the HTC Incredible and take a look at performance vs the iPad.

Android phones need to up their performance because the iPhone 4 is way faster. Obviously it's a game of leapfrog but if you look at iPhone 3 vs the Android phones it holds it's own pretty well so Android hasn't made sufficient use of it's superior hardware vs iPhone 3GS.

If Apple releases decent games, or bundles a couple, when the iPhone 4 comes out I think it could sell well. Apple have to show off that speed or it just won't matter enough.

Android's momentum is incredible but the race isn't over just yet... provided Apple act competitively and don't just assume that they own the market for smartphones because of previous success. Of course Apple's achilles heel is AT&T... they have to scrap that fast.

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RE: I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By sebmel on 5/18/2010 9:52:17 PM , Rating: 2

Other issues with Android:

Android does not appear to have any restrictions on the private user data apps can forward to third parties. So you can be tracked. Apple does not allow this sharing of private data: Jobs called it "stealing".

Google also does not have an app approval process like Apple's, which has led to malware attacks from apps listed in the Android Market which destroyed users' data, installed adware, and sent spam to their email accounts.

http://i.gizmodo.com/5138822/rogue-android-app-all...

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RE: I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By SoCalBoomer on 5/18/2010 1:26:19 PM , Rating: 2

I would agree with you except for one very significant thing - Exchange support (without BES - which a lot of places don't want to use, like my campus)

There are several Android apps that do AES support and they're FAR less expensive than the two that the BB community have access to (and which are pretty clunky. . .)

Relegates BB to the only one that doesn't have feasible AES support.

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RE: I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By omnicronx on 5/18/2010 12:05:23 PM , Rating: 2

I think the traction Android has been gaining is overated. This year was the perfect scenario for Android, but I think you are hard pressed to make the claim that it will continue.

They had essentially no competition for the last 8 months. People are waiting on an iPhone refresh for one, and WinMo has officially died in the last few months. Add the near death of Palm and it was all but a perfect scenario for Android.

Come June that will change, the iPhone will be released, then hot on its heals WinMo7 will be released in the fall, and with HP's recent acq of Palm, we many even see movement on that front too. At that point Android is no longer the only one with new devices being released.

Add on the fact that BB OS3 is suppose to be released sometime soon with a webkit browser (their iris acq is finally paying off), things could get very interesting.

Everyone but Google is in the middle of a big refresh this year, so I REALLY doubt they will be able to continue their current trend.

I think we still have a year or two before we see Android as the top smartphone handset manufacturer, at the very least..

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RE: I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By inperfectdarkness on 5/18/2010 3:23:39 PM , Rating: 2

i disagree. the advent of android 2.2 (native tethering & mobile wi-fi) is going to shift the balance dramatically in favor of android. it's only a matter of time before consumers start seeing android as a universal internet connection.

heck, if i had a cracked evo 4g right now, and a dock for it--i'd probably ditch home internet altogether.

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RE: I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By HighWing on 5/18/2010 5:44:53 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
Come June that will change,

You forgot that in June the Evo, a 4g Android 2.1 phone, will be released. And it's already getting a lot of attention. Sometime after that Android 2.2, which has already been reported to be faster, will come out as well. All alongside a catch up iPhone refresh, and further on, what looks to be a sad attempt by WinMo at a new version. Many of my friends laugh at WinMo 7 and others are talking about switching from a normal cell phone to an Android. So yeah, things will change, I just don't think it will be the way you claim.

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RE: I am so done with Microsoft's Mobile Phone OS.

By sebmel on 5/18/2010 9:10:11 PM , Rating: 2

That's not a catch-up iPhone refresh. Read the AnandTech HTC Incredible review and check out the iPad performance... same CPU as iPhone 4. It's WAY faster than current Android phones.

It's a leapfrog update... and a big leap at that.

Not saying it will necessarily be enough to push sales ahead again... just setting the facts straight. The stolen iPhone 4 may have cost Apple a lot of iPhone 3 sale... we'll find out soon enough.

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Droid On Board

By GaryJohnson on 5/18/2010 10:59:03 AM , Rating: 2

Apps for your phone are great, but when are we gonna see factory in-dash android systems?

It would be cool to see GM, Google, & Android up against Ford, MS, & Sync.

RE: Droid On Board

By Yawgm0th on 5/18/2010 11:35:08 AM , Rating: 3

I could see GM integrating it, certainly to an extent. Modified to fulfill SYNC-like purposes, Android would be excellent in a car.

That said, I expect to also see more and more integration of Android and SYNC. SYNC is an excellent system that suits very different purposes than a mobile phone, but the two combined could definitely do some useful things.

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Reaming?

By chagrinnin on 5/18/2010 10:25:09 AM , Rating: 4

"...battery capacity reaming,"? Doesn't that come when you replace the battery? :P

Vaporware

By Smilin on 5/18/2010 12:43:39 PM , Rating: 1

WTF GM. Enough press releases. Sell the f'n car already.

In the time GM has put this volt together other manufacturers have started from 0 and shipped complete products.

Actually...tell you what...just give us back our tax money then go the fvck out of business. We bailed you out because we were worried about the broader economy but I think at this point we can now survive your collapse. Go ahead and collapse.