The top-of-the-line Honda Accord Touring trim will support Android apps, Google Maps, and Assistant right from the dashboard in 2023.
The most interesting thing about this announcement is that Honda and Google seem to have taken to calling Android Automotive “Google Built-in,” which makes more sense and gives the appearance that the automakers are still in control of the general look and feel of their in-car software.
This update will allow Honda Accords to get over-the-air updates and download supported Android apps. In the past, I’ve found that infotainment systems built on Android are smooth, and ultra-convenient, so it’s exciting to see Honda jump into the fray. You can see some demos of some of the more exciting features in the video below.
However, the fact that this is only launching on one trim level of one car is highly disappointing. Honda has been lagging in the infotainment space and has offered fractured designs across its fleet for years, so ideally, the inclusion of Google built-in will start to align this, but from the launch, it’s not looking good.
Other companies such as GM, Volvo, Polestar and others have also signed on to build infotainment onto Google’s popular OS to get access to apps and Google Maps.
Source: Honda
Image/video source: Honda