Report: Toyota Not Integrating Android Auto Due To Privacy Concerns
Toyota for the longest while has been pushing their on infotainment systems in their cars. But recently they’re rolling out Apple CarPlay in first the Avalon, and in the upcoming Lexus UX with more vehicles to come in the future. But many people have asked about support for Android Auto. When is that going to show up in a Toyota vehicle?
Well, Motor1 reports that the company isn’t integrating Android Auto because it is keen to protect the privacy of its customers:
“We’re a conservative company and we wanted to make sure everything was okay,” said Mark DeJongh, Avalon’s Executive Program Manager, about the company’s stance against Android Auto. He spoke during a Toyota first-drive event this week. “We wanted to protect our customers privacy. We strongly believe in our stance and in what we’re doing.”
Toyota isn’t the first car company to have issues with Android Auto. Porsche famously flipped the bird to Android Auto a few years ago, and to this day no Porsche model offers it as a feature. Google claims that there’s nothing to see here. But seeing as Android Auto apparently collects everything from speed, throttle position, coolant and oil temp, engine revs etc. every time it is used, you can see why a car maker might have a wee bit of a problem. This will be something that Google cannot ignore and it will be interesting to see if or how they address it.
April 20, 2018 at 9:48 am
[…] systems like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay flared up again yesterday when it came to light that Toyota took a pass on Android Auto because of privacy concerns. They joined Porsche who famously did the same thing a few years […]