Google reportedly partners with Audi for on-board Android

Google is reportedly hitting the road for its next battle with Apple for mobile OS market share.

The Web giant has teamed with carmaker Audi to develop in-car entertainment and information systems based on the Android operating system, according to the Wall Street Journal. The aim of the partnership, which is expected to be announced next week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, would allow for in-car integration of music and navigation apps currently available on smartphones, sources told the Journal.

The partnership is expected to generate a challenger to Apple’s iOS in the Car, which aims to integrate users’ iPhones with their car’s onboard receiver or “infotainment” system. Unveiled in June at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, the feature is expected to provide an interface that lets users control things like music, messages, and maps right through the vehicle.