Google's Android Auto challenges Apple CarPlay

Google's in-car entertainment system launches in Australia just a week after its official US global launch.

Electronics firm Pioneer said yesterday that it has started selling two 7-inch display systems compatible with the new Android Auto.

Android Auto is controlled by a connected Android smartphone running the latest Lollipop 5.0 software. It's already on phones like the Google Nexus 5 and 6, the HTC One M9, and Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S6.

Pioneer said its two Android Auto compatible models will cost $1149 and $1999. The company supports both camps by announcing head units for rival Apple CarPlay last year.

The existence of both CarPlay and Android Auto could see the fighting in the smartphone war spill over into the automotive market, with a person's choice of car to some extent dependent on their brand of phone and the car systems on offer.

Android Auto offers what you would expect from a modern connected GPS system. There is built-in navigation, you can answer calls, send and receive text messages and listen to streaming music from Google Play.

The system uses smartphone apps to display cafes, fast food outlets, grocery stores, gas stations, and parking options.

However, Google says you get a much better integrated experience than with a standalone device. For example, if you have an upcoming event on your calendar, Android Auto will notify you and offer to take you there. If you choose to save your navigation history, it will try to guess where you want to go and take you there.

At junctions, Maps in the system will display an alternative destination time if you choose to take an alternative route. The system uses smartphone applications to display cafes, fast food outlets, grocery stores, gas stations and parking options on the screen.

Android Auto uses Google Voice and reads text messages as they arrive.

Google Australia senior production manager Andrew Foster, who works on Google Maps, said the team has removed unnecessary shortcuts from the automatic version of Maps to make driving less cluttered.

Android Auto uses Google Voice and reads text messages as they arrive. The driver can also dictate responses, which in turn are read before being sent. The same applies to messages from third-party applications such as WhatsApp, provided they are installed on the connected phone.

You can navigate music services like Spotify, TuneIn Radio, and Stitcher on your console as long as their apps are downloaded on your phone.

Mr. Foster said the system had been in development for two years.