Huawei wants to compete with Android Auto with its own car OS
At its year-end conference, Huawei made a new foray into the automotive market. The Chinese firm presented the first car equipped with HarmonyOS Smart Cockpit. This is a variation of its operating system that will directly compete with Android Auto. The car is called Aito M5. If the car is intended for the Chinese market, HarmonyOS Smart Cockpit has declared international ambitions.
Huawei organized a large conference at the start of the day to present several products. The one that made the most noise on social media is the P50 Pocket, a smartphone with a flexible display that will directly compete with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3. We have also mentioned in our columns the Watch D, the first connected watch from Huawei with ECG, thermometer and blood pressure monitor. But that was not all.
HarmonyOS arrives in cars to compete with Google and Apple
Among the other announcements, we have chosen to relay that ofHarmonyOS Smart Cockpit. It is a variation of the operating system of the Chinese firm. It is intended to animate cars. HarmonyOS Smart Cockpit is therefore an on-board computer offering the connectivity and interactivity necessary for use with other connected products, whether it is a smartphone, a tablet or home automation products. Huawei’s objective here is to present an alternative to Google Android Auto Where Apple Carplay.
You can see some visuals of the interface here. Huawei naturally plays on the synergies between the smartphone version and the automotive version of HarmonyOS. Celia, its personal assistant launched with EMUI 10, and Petal Maps, its navigation application, are obviously integrated. Moreover, the importance of Celia is capital here. Huawei wants drivers to use HarmonyOS Smart Cockpit more with their voice than with gestures. You can also share your smartphone screen, applications and documents with the on-board computer.
The first car with HarmonyOS is a hybrid SUV, AITO M5
The first connected car to benefit from HarmonyOS Smart Cockpit is theAITO M5, a hybrid SUV which will soon be marketed in China. Huawei is obviously not its manufacturer. At the conference, Richard Yu confirmed that he did not plan to become a car maker. On the other hand, he wants to collaborate with as many brands as possible. As proof, HarmonyOS Smart Cockpit should be translated into 70 different languages. And French is already supported. It remains to be seen which Western brand will partner with Huawei.
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Find below the replay of Huawei’s press conference available on YouTube. It lasted two hours and forty-three minutes. To avoid looking for the start of the presentation of the AITO M5 and HarmonyOS Smart Cockpit, you just have to advance the video ofone hour and thirty-five minutes. The presentation lasts until the end of the conference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgK9JgOWiro