Porsche is the latest to adopt Android Automotive with new Macan

Porsche unveiled its new second-generation Macan as an all-electric model, based on VW's latest 800V PPE platform. It's an innovative EV with a 100 kWh battery built into the car's underside with up to 270 kW DC charging (10-80% in just 21 minutes), two electric motors with a total output of up to 470 kW (639 ps), and up to 613 km of WLTP range.

Inside, the car is cleverer still. It's among the first to be powered by Google's Android Automotive OS - a standalone OS, which runs on the car. Unlike Android Auto, which is your phone being mirrored on the car's infotainment, the Macan's infotainment is natively running Android Automotive OS.

The Macan's "Hey Porsche" voice assistant is a major part of Android Automotive OS - it can suggest routes and include charging stops.

Android Automotive has its own app store with third-party apps - podcasts, games like Beach Buggy Racing, and streaming options like YouTube and DAZN.

Porsche's built-in App Center will start up Android Automotive as you approach the car and ensure the OS is ready once you get inside. It will also handle software updates in the background.

Porsche didn't reveal which chip powers the Android Automotive OS, but it promises that no matter how many apps you install you won't lose performance.

As for iPhone users, which Porsche says are the majority of its clients, fret not - CarPlay is built into the Macan. When using CarPlay, Apple Maps is displayed inside the instrument cluster, and there will be no need to leave CarPlay to change the car's climate controls, for instance, as they are built into the CarPlay main screen.