On call: Audi car ‘infotainment’ system will soon have functionality of a smartphone

"Our customers want to be ‘always on’ and use the services they know from their smartphones in cars as well," says Prof Ulrich Hackenberg, one of the team of technical developers at AUDI AG.

“In this regard, we are working closely with leading companies like Google and Apple. In the future, customers will be able to use the functions available to them on their smartphones via the operating systems in their cars, as well.

“User-friendliness and low distraction are important parameters for integrating these functions. Data security also plays a vital role. We are separating the vehicle-related functions from the infotainment features, thereby securing the data against unauthorised access. The customer has to give express consent for the use of data generated in the vehicle,” he said.

Audi is the only premium automotive manufacturer that is a founding member of the Google Open Automotive Alliance (OAA). This cooperation was launched in early 2014 to integrate the Android platform and its apps into cars under the ‘Android Auto’ banner.

Initial results are already available in the form of services, such as navigation via Google Maps and the streaming Google Play Music.

Integration of CarPlay is also taking place through intensive dialogue between the Audi development lab in Silicon Valley and Apple.