Google Inc (GOOGL)’s Android Auto Chief Addresses Privacy Concerns

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL)’s product manager for Android Auto, Andrew Brenner, aims to quash privacy concerns about this new in-car system as the tech giant and its partners ramp up development and aim to have it in cars this year.

In a discussion with The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern, the Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) executive says that people should not be worried about their privacy now that Android will soon be in their cars too.

“It’s exactly the same as having it in your pocket in your phone because it is on your phone. So the same privacy controls that we have already for Google Now and for other third-party applications exist for this as well,” Brenner said.

The executive was reacting to Stern raising the issue of privacy as a lot of data about a user will become part of his or her own car once Android Auto becomes integrated to automobiles this year.

Because the car which uses Android Auto uses essentially Google Now for the car displayed through what’s called Auto View, information about the user is now also accessible to the car and those in the auto and tech industries.

According to the Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) product manager, the same permissions model as well as prompts to allow sharing or using data will be used for Android Auto.

Meanwhile, now that Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) has a lot of platforms running on Android, Brenner says that its partners are looking to integrate the use of other devices for the car. For example, not only will Android Auto be powered by smartphones and tablets connected to automobiles, he said that partners are also using the Android Wear software development kit to integrate wearables into the driving experience.

Earlier in the report, however, Brenner noted that the goal of the tech giant with Android Auto was to make the experience of using Google products while driving less intrusive and distracting to drivers.

Ken Griffin’s Citadel Investment Group owned 618,345 Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) shares by the end of the third quarter.