Volkswagen’s plan to create a new car operating system

Post by mjevans » Mon, Sep 16, 2019, 6:30 PM UTC

jasonwatkinspdx wrote: post #163

PorterDuff wrote: post #105

It's just my own ignorance speaking (probably), but I can't say that I like the idea of Android getting near/intertwined with mission critical systems. Hopefully 'infotainment' implies something that is well clear of 'stopping' and the like...although I'd just as soon that they dropped the 'tainment' part and simply provided an interface for diagnostics, HVAC, &tc. What bugs me the most about the 'tainment' part is t…

Yes. It's obviously common practice to partition systems in cars. The infotainment is not running the ABS or airbags. That said, the people who work on infotainment have to take safety very seriously too. Even just static visual imagery can cause distracting optical effects if it's high contrast or the right shape/pattern. Anything with motion or audio presents very real risks. If you take the 30k foot view, tbh, the…

Post by Zardoz84 » Mon, Sep 16, 2019, 6:49 PM UTC

jobu wrote: post #158

alexis_fr wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same was probably said 15 years ago about the computerization of the car engine and their rapid deprecation. Did the average lifespan of a car decrease since then? How ridiculous is it to drive a 4WD into the desert, full of electronics that can’t be repaired and where a single chip can cost 300$ and has to be shipped from mainland America... So yep, with car computerization they reduced the lifespan from 30 to 1…

There has to be a balance. Electronic fuel injection (EFI) is far more reliable and adaptable than even the best carburetors. Electronic safety systems may have reduced some of the longevity of a vehicle, but the alternative is higher chance of injury or death.

Post by TN1ck » Mon, Sep 16, 2019, 7:05 PM UTC

bo1024 wrote: post #143

PorterDuff wrote: post #105

It's just my own ignorance speaking (probably), but I can't say that I like the idea of Android getting near/intertwined with mission critical systems. Hopefully 'infotainment' implies something that is well clear of 'stopping' and the like...although I'd just as soon that they dropped the 'tainment' part and simply provided an interface for diagnostics, HVAC, &tc. What bugs me the most about the 'tainment' part is t…

Completely agree, especially on the second paragraph - just like how 'smart' TVs ship a long-lasting high quality panel with an obsolete/user-hostile operating system. On the first paragraph, I thought I'd read this battle is mostly lost already, not with respect to Android, but car software in general is far more intertwined and less robust than you'd think prudent.

Post by elbrian » Mon, Sep 16, 2019, 7:16 PM UTC

Spare_account wrote: post #202

ytwySXpMbS wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It can be quite hard to ignore the smart part. For example, my TV can't even display the input selection menu properly. It moves about as it tries to load an ad, then can't.

Which TV? It has adverts in the system menus? Also, how did you block it from displaying them? Is it completely offline or maybe you're using a pihole?

Post by dmitriid » Mon, Sep 16, 2019, 7:30 PM UTC

ryacko wrote: post #172

spanktheuser wrote: post #152

I'm also aware of a project from a major automotive supplier to attempt the same thing. From my understanding it's unlikely to succeed because manufacturers view suppliers as commodity producers of components they find boring like brakes, steering systems, sensors, transmissions, safety systems, fuel pumps, etc. Not as anything resembling a true partner. Not to mention that it would require competitors to collaborate…

The irony though is if they allowed their cars to be modular, they would be able to just mount a tablet flashed with their own operating system. This might prevent them from operating a wide variety of controls from the entertainment dash though.