The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance and Google have announced a technology partnership to power the former’s next-gen vehicle infotainment systems with Android operating system. Scheduled to start in 2021, this partnership will enable Alliance members to providing intelligent infotainment and customer focused-applications across multiple models and brands.

Under this partnership, vehicles sold by the Alliance members in many markets will utilise Android to provide turn-by-turn navigation with Google Maps, access to a rich ecosystem of automotive apps on the Google Play Store and have the ability to answer calls and texts, control media, find information, and manage vehicle functions with voice using the built in Google Assistant.

The Alliance, whose member companies last year sold 10.6 million vehicles in 200 markets, will integrate Google applications and services into infotainment and cloud-based systems to enhance the experience for customers of Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors brands. While a range of Alliance vehicles will share the Android platform, each brand will have the flexibility to create a unique customer interface and specific features on top of the common Android platform.

The infotainment partnership forms part of the Alliance’s moves to equip more vehicles with connectivity and cloud-based services as part of its Alliance 2022 mid-term plan. It symbolises the Alliance’s focus on next-generation technology. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance is targeting increased sales of more than 14 million units a year by the end of 2022. The plan also involves the launch of 12 new zero-emission electric vehicles, new autonomous-driving technologies and the ongoing rollout of the Alliance Intelligent Cloud.

The Alliance Intelligent Cloud will provide next-generation infotainment systems with secure connectivity by offering a platform to integrate data management, infotainment systems and to facilitate over-the-air upgrades and remote diagnostics in Alliance member-company vehicles.

By combining the latest technologies from the Alliance and Google, the Alliance member companies’ vehicles will have one of the most intelligent infotainment systems in the market. Drivers and passengers will be able to leverage Google and Android’s capabilities to access an ecosystem that includes thousands of existing applications and an ever-expanding array of new apps.

This integration, combined with the broad knowledge and a vibrant community of developers, will enable easy in-vehicle access to popular applications. The system will also be compatible with devices running other operating systems, such as Apple iOS.