The Renault Mégane E-Tech is the first production car destined to make big numbers equipped, at the same time, with a Qualcomm chip and the Android Auto operating system: it will be used like a smartphone
With the new Renault Mégane E-Tech electric car, just presented by the house of Lausanne at the IAA Mobility in Munich, Android Automotive enters the first large production car. In fact, Google’s operating system for cars had already debuted on the Volvo-Geely group’s Polestar 2, which, however, is certainly not a car destined to do the numbers of the Mégane.
But there is also a second novelty in the newly presented Mégane 2022: the infotainment system revolves around a platform from Qualcomm, the smartphone chip giant: it is the third generation Qualcomm Snapdragon Automotive Cockpit Platform, the penultimate one available. The fusion of smartphone and car, then, with the new Renault Mégane E-Tech appears to be complete: it’s no longer just a matter of vehicle compatibility with Android Auto, because Android Automotive is so much more. Android Auto is a layer of software applied on top of the car manufacturer’s infotainment system, while Android Automotive is a full-fledged operating system in its own right.
Renault Mégane E-Tech: the OpenR maxi-screen
All of the infotainment system in the Renault Mégane E-Tech is accessible to the user via the new “OpenR” maxi-screen, which actually consists of two screens side-by-side: the first, horizontal behind the steering wheel, 12.3 inches (with a resolution of 1,920×720 pixels) and the second, vertical in the center of the dashboard (with a resolution of 1,250×1,562 pixels). The entry level version of the car will have the second 9-inch display instead of 12.
Through OpenR the driver can set 4 different types of displays: Driving, Navigation, Zen and Battery. Each of these views is set to prioritize certain information to the detriment of all others, but in reality the dashboard is customizable by the user in much the same way as a smartphone home.
For example, there are 5 widgets (fuel consumption, tire pressure, distance, eco monitor and music) and 8 colors for lighting.
Integration with Google
Because the Renault Mégane E-Tech 2022 uses the Android Automotive operating system, integration with the Google ecosystem will be total right out of the box, with great scope for expansion in the future. The standard navigation system will be Google Maps and it will be possible to manage all infotainment via Google Assistant voice commands.
It will then be possible to install third-party apps developed for Android Automotive, just as we add apps to our Android smartphone today. User profiles will also be available, so that different drivers can find their favorite settings simply by logging in with their own data.
There will, finally, be OTA (Over The Air) updates: just like we do with smartphones today, then, the Android Auto operating system will update itself in the background and alert us when it’s ready to install the new files.
Renault Mégane E-Tech: when it arrives
Renault Mégane E-Tech has not yet been launched on the market: pre-orders will start in February 2022, with deliveries from March 2022. It will be available in six colors: Aviation Gray, Shale Gray, Nocturne Blue, Passion Red, Etoilé Black and Ice White.
Renault has not yet made official the prices of the car and its variants.