Mercedes partners with Google to bring Maps and YouTube into it’s vehicle

Mercedes-Benz and Google have announced a long-term partnership that aims to give the German automaker control over its intellectual property and marketplace while offering drivers navigation, maps, and YouTube provided by the tech giant. Under the agreement, Mercedes-Benz will have access to Google's geospatial offering, including real-time and predictive traffic information, automatic rerouting, and detailed information about places. Mercedes-Benz will also use Google Maps data to enable assisted driving features such as automatic speed adjustments before intersections, roundabouts, or curves.

The partnership will extend beyond this, as Google will provide its AI and data capabilities to accelerate Mercedes-Benz's sustainability efforts, advance autonomous driving, and create an enhanced customer experience. Mercedes-Benz has been working on its own MB.OS operating system for several years, which will launch in the next generation of Mercedes vehicles expected to go into production towards the end of 2024. The system is Linux-based and designed to support third-party apps and services like those provided by Google.

Mercedes-Benz plans to build its own branded navigation using new in-car geospatial data and navigation capabilities from Google Maps Platform. The automaker will give customers access to initial new features like Place Details, provided by Google, via an over-the-air software update. The precursor to MB.OS will also be available later this year in the new Mercedes E Class, allowing customers to access apps like Tiktok and Zoom from the car's infotainment system.

The end game for Mercedes-Benz is to create a customer experience so compelling that drivers no longer opt to use middleware products like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which mirrors their smartphones to the car's infotainment system. "That's the ultimate goal of MB.OS ultimately; it will create a customer experience so there's no need to plug in your phone," said CTO Markus Schäfer.