Google partners with Renault to develop a “Software Defined Vehicle” to expand the software services
Google and Renault said on Tuesday that they are expanding their partnership in software services for future Renault vehicles, adding that Google will become the preferred cloud supplier to the French automaker. While hardware is the main selling point for most Android flagships, Google’s Pixel lineup is defined by its software. The company now plans to bring a similar experience over to cars, and it has extended its partnership with Renault to develop a Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) that will feature advanced artificial intelligence capabilities and new in-car services.
In the quest to develop this supposed “Vehicle of Tomorrow,” Google will first create a Digital Twin of the vehicle. This Digital Twin will offer advanced AI-powered features and serve as a reference point for Renault and Google to introduce new AI features and in-car services.
Automakers are scrambling to catch up with Tesla’s tech capabilities, including the ability to deliver updates to cars remotely. Expanding the partnership with Google, which started in 2018, will allow Renault to offer more over-the-air software updates as well as additional on-demand services, the two companies said Tuesday. The partnership with Google will also help Renault accelerate its “end-to-end digital transformation, from the design of the car to its market launch through its production,” de Meo said in a statement.
Renault explains that the virtual vehicle will pave the way “for an easier and continuous integration of new services into the vehicle and the creation of new onboard (In-Car Services) and offboard applications.” Essentially, the Digital Twin will act as a virtual playground for Renault and Google to introduce new features and quickly port them over to the actual vehicle.
Speaking of Renault’s plans for the “Vehicle of Tomorrow,” the company’s CEO Luca de Meo, said, “The complexity of the electronic architecture of cars is increasing exponentially, driven by the sophistication of the functionalities and services expected by customers. Equipped with a shared IT platform, continuous over-the-air updates, and streamlined access to car data, the SDV approach developed in partnership with Google will transform our vehicles to help serve future customers’ needs.”
Renault also plans to expand its use of Google Cloud technology for the SDV for the following in-development use cases:
- Predictive maintenance and better detection and rectification of failures in near real-time if necessary.
- A personalized experience onboard the vehicle (In-Car Services) to adapt to driving behaviors, often-used destinations such as EV Charging Stations, etc.
- Insurance models based on actual usage and driving behaviors.
Other automakers are also developing software-defined vehicles as they rush to compete with Tesla, which has come to define what customers expect from their vehicle’s software. The idea is that a vehicle is sold with a base level of hardware and that its features are largely dictated by its software, which can be updated and improved with over-the-air updates.
Google has been trying to get into the car space for over a decade, but its efforts have somewhat been stymied by automakers worried about competition. But the company has been increasingly successful in getting major car companies to bend to its will, including Ford, GM, Volvo, Honda, and BMW.
