Renault, Google partner to develop special software for vehicles

Renault Group has joined forces with Google to make special software for the development of its vehicles. The new agreement is actually an expansion of their previous cooperation, and this time, the tech firm headquartered in Mountain View, California, has committed to creating a “software defined” for the French automaker.

Google will be making this kind of software for Renault vehicles using the Google Cloud unit’s technology. According to CNBC, by making use of artificial intelligence (AI), the two firms plan to produce something that they call the“digital twin” of a new vehicle.

The goal of this technology is to reproduce physical objects in a virtual setting so they can be tested and observed before being deployed to the real world or market. The partnership with Google will help Renault with the development of new onboard and offboard applications.

After virtually monitoring the vehicles through the Digital Twin software, Renault will be using data analytics to find and fix any flaws in the vehicle’s functioning. The automaker will also personalize users’ experience to tailor according to often-used destinations like the charging stations for EVs.

It was in 2018 when Renault first signed a deal with Google. At that time, their agreement was for a technology to fuse the latter’s Android operating system (OS) into the former’s in-car media displays. At any rate, the company said it would eventually transfer its entire operational model to the cloud.

“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 Group’s chief executive officer, Luca de Meo, said in a press release.

He added, “Our strategic partnership with Google will allow us to accelerate our end-to-end digital transformation. With Google, we are going beyond mere cooperation: a software champion and a mobility champion are joining forces to create game-changing technologies."

Sundar Pichai, Google and Alphabet’s chief, further said that their “collaboration with Renault Group has improved comfort, safety, and connectivity on the road.”

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