BMW Won’t integrate Android Auto into its Cars

Though Android Auto is available on many brands’ cars and users can use their Android-based phones and tablets to interact with them, BMW cars won’t be on that list. As for now, the company doesn’t plan to integrate Android Auto at all.

BMW vehicles were the first ones to have Apple CarPlay built in. The system works perfectly, but it limits you to having an iPhone. Dieter May, BMW’s senior vice president of Digital Services and Business Models, explained the companies decision to exclude Android:

We offer CarPlay as an option but not Android Auto. We believe the changes that are coming to the inside of the car and the user experience — like self-driving cars — you have to control the customer interface. That’s part of the brand experience and for that, I don’t want to have an Android screen and I especially want to be able to deeply integrate these systems.

The main problem with devices that run on Android OS is that they are too customizable. This would make the connection with a car less stable and can lead to numerous problems. BMW wants to let their customers have the simplest possible solution that will always work as planned.