Google’s Android OS is coming to millions of new Ford cars, starting in 2023.
On Monday, the companies announced a six-year deal to use Android as the infotainment system for Ford and Lincoln vehicles. As a result, future cars from the automaker will come with Google apps, including Google Maps and its AI Assistant, built into the vehicles.
The two companies describe the deal as the first of its kind, which will also focus on creating “unique services and capabilities” for Ford and Lincoln car models.
The other centerpiece to the deal is how Ford is tapping Google’s cloud services to provide the company’s back-end infrastructure. The automaker plans on taking full advantage of Google’s work in machine learning and AI-powered algorithms to augment its entire business.
To bring about the collaboration, the companies are creating a new group called Team Upshift, "which will push the boundaries of Ford’s transformation, unlock personalized consumer experiences, and drive disruptive, data-driven opportunities,” the automaker said.
“This may include projects ranging from developing new retail experiences when buying a vehicle, creating new ownership offers based on data, and more," the company added.
It sounds like a lot of consumer personalization is certainly in the works. However, all of this may involve some creepy data collection practices, too. Ford’s current infotainment system, dubbed Sync 4, uses BlackBerry’s QNX operating system, which has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support.
Ford says the Android-powered cars will be available at all price points. The partnership is slated to last at least until the end of 2028.