BMW finally says yes to Android Auto, will add it to its product lineup in 2020

Android Auto may now appear as a common feature on cars around the world regardless of their segment and pricing but BMW had thus far steered clear of it. All of that will change in the new year with the German auto giant recently confirming most of its cars too will be compatible with it.

It is reported that the company will first roll out Android Auto in its cars in 20 countries starting July of 2020, before expanding to elsewhere as well.

One of the primary reasons why BMW had so far avoided Android Auto compatibility in its luxury cars is that it reportedly believed that most of its customers make use of iPhones. Even compatibility with Apple CarPlay invited a share of controversy because BMW was charging a subscription fees to owners who wanted to make use of this service. This policy was only reversed recently and the decision to eventually make use of Android Auto - a long-standing demand of BMW owners - would be the icing on the cake.

Another reason why BMW was holding out against Android Auto previously was reportedly due to certain - and suspected - privacy concerns although the company never acknowledged this. Android Auto has come miles and miles in this regard and it was only a matter of time before BMW would have felt compelled to give in to what is quite the standard now in the auto industry world wide.

BMW has said now that Android Auto will be rolled out on its cars which already have 7.0 version of its iDrive software. This would mostly cover the 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series and the X Series. Owners will be able to make use of the option without actually having to plug in their Android-based smartphones. Only Google’s Pixel, Nexus and Samsung’s Galaxy series, however, would be compatible because BMW has opted to go for wireless integration.