Daimler accidentally leaks Google Projected Mode

Ryan Joseph Ramos March 2, 2014

Mercedes-Benz-telematics-infotainment-mbrace

The current telematics system on Mercedes-Benz vehicles

When Internet companies’ upcoming products get leaked, it’s usually through tech blogs, insiders, or marketing ploys intended to drum up interest. This time, though, a job advertisement from a partner is the culprit, as Daimler, the parent company of German automaker Mercedes-Benz, unwittingly leaked Google’s “Projected Mode” via a job posting on its web site, which to our knowledge has since been amended.

There really isn’t much that can be learned about this new Google software or technology, especially coming from a vague passage within a job ad. Still, it’s probably going to have to do with telematics.

The timing is quite interesting, as Apple is set to unveil its own ‘iOS in the Car‘ software.

Some nice tidbits from the revised job ad:

Several years of professional experience desirable in vehicle telematics and vehicle networking

Expertise in HW / SW development of telematics applications

Knowledge in the development of embedded software

Expertise in communication, infotainment and software technologies

Good knowledge of vehicle bus systems (CAN, MOST)

I guess that shows the nature of “Projected Mode” as well as its functionality, at least in the very general sense. Who knows, we might get to know more about this upcoming software soon enough.

Telematics or other in-car software could use a boost from established mobile technology operating systems; after all, with practically everybody owning a mobile phone, many are already reliant upon apps and services available to the likes of iOS and Android. While many in the luxury market would probably own an iPhone or an iPad, one cannot discount the massive market share Google’s moble OS has. I guess it’s only natural for automakers to make sure that they cover at least two bases (sorry, Windows Phone) when it comes to connected software like this.