Android Auto Keeps You Connected, Anywhere You Go

We were hoping to see some automotive angle to I/O this year, and we got it. Android Auto is an iteration of the Open Automotive Alliance set forth earlier this year. Rather than make a special system just for your car, Google will take Android Auto wherever you go.

By plugging you phone into a car with a touchscreen, your Android device serves as the back-end for the car's system. We can touch, or use Android's voice recognition services to keep our eyes on the road. We can do all of the things we use our phones for in the car now, but Android Wear taps right into your car to keep you safe.

Voice recognition is a big focus, here, and it looks as though we can power just about anything Android Auto related just by barking out some direction. The benefit is that using your device means you can take it with you to any car, even a rental.

When will we get this, though? By the end of the year. Google notes all the same auto manufacturers that have signed up as part of the Open Automotive Alliance will take part here. Even better, we'll get our first car that can use Android Auto by the end of the year.