How long should a mobile last? This figure is different depending on whether users or manufacturers are questioned; The latter obviously prefer that you change mobile every year with each new generation, but little by little they adapt to reality.
[Volkswagen usará Android Automotive en sus coches, pero sin apps de Google]
It is thanks to this that Android support is greatly improving. Only in the last few months we have already seen several commitments from manufacturers to keep updating their mobiles for years. The best in this sense is Samsung, which promises 4 years of updates for several of its models, which is more in line with user habits; most will change mobile before the end of these 4 years.
Now imagine having to change your car after 4 years because it is no longer safe, or because it is possible to hack it. That would be ridiculous, and yet that’s exactly what many of us imagine with the expansion of Android into cars.
How long will Android support last in cars?
Thanks to Android Auto and Android Automotive (not to be confused), our new and not-so-new cars can access smart and multimedia features that weren’t possible not so long ago. But this more complex and more complete system has its drawbacks, particularly in terms of support.
Everything indicates that the situation will be very similar to that of mobile phones, in the sense that we will depend on the manufacturers to keep the system up to date; and there will be good and bad in this respect. As in cell phones, Google is not responsible for offering direct support to users, at least until a “Pixel Car” comes out.
Volkswagen will support Android for many years more than a smartphone
Google will only release new versions of the open source version (AAOS), as is the case with Android (and AOSP), which manufacturers will have to adapt to their systems and send as an OTA update to users. The good news is that some manufacturers seem to be waking up to this challenge.
The Volkswagen group, for example, has its own software division to develop and support vehicles of all its brands, called CARIAD. This is an example of the importance that software has taken in cars and the importance that brands will have in offering assistance to users.
According to the CEO of CARIAD, they have committed to the various VW brands to offer software support for their cars for up to 10 years after the end of production; therefore, depending on when you buy your vehicle, you could enjoy it for many years to come. They also commit to hardware support for 15 years after production ends.
The increased complexity of Android Automotive leads to potential problems in the future
The free Android
The reason for this widespread support is cybersecurity. Updates will not necessarily bring new features, but rather focus on covering security vulnerabilities and fixing any “bugs” discovered in the code.
As these systems become more complex, it is also more likely that problems will arise that are discovered by attackers. No one wants a hacker to be able to open our car door, or install a virus in the infotainment system because the manufacturer hasn’t updated Android.
Not all brands will be able to meet such a challenge, so it will be interesting to see how the market evolves and the commitment of each manufacturer.
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