Yahoo Finance Porsche will offer Android Auto in new cars beginning with 2022 models
You previously had to upgrade a classic car to add Google's platform.
Porsche's smartphone integration has long been Apple-centric unless you were upgrading a classic car, but that's finally going to change. The automaker is making Android Auto available for the first time in new cars, starting with the 2022 model year 911. You can grab Google Maps directions from your Android phone when you're headed to the track, for example.
The addition comes as part of an overall tech upgrade that brings a new Porsche Communication Management (PCM) infotainment based on what you find in the Taycan. That includes Apple CarPlay (both wired and wireless), Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and a more customizable interface accessed through a 10.9-inch touchscreen. Features like "hey, Porsche" voice control and Navigation Plus will be locked behind a subscription, although Porsche is offering a three-year trial period that also includes three months of SiriusXM with 360L.
There's even some Tesla-style convenience. If you buy a 911 with a PDK gearbox (aka dual-clutch automatic), you can add an optional Remote ParkAssist to pull your sports car out of a tight parking spot using your phone. That perk also comes alongside Active Parking Support while you're inside the car, a 3D view for trickier parking jobs, rear cross traffic warnings and lane change assistance.
As you'd guess, this won't be cheap. The 2022 911 lineup starts at $101,200 for a base Carrera, and it scales all the way to $219,800 for a Turbo S Cabriolet. You may also have to be patient depending on the model you buy. The GT3 you see here ($161,100, if you're curious) won't reach dealers until the fall. That's a long time to wait just to get Android Auto in your coupe, so it might be worth scooping up a 2021 model if you're content to use Porsche's in-house features instead of phone apps.
