Here are five ways Google built-in transforms every drive – from the daily commute to a bucket-list road trip.
1. More horsepower – but not that kind
The 2024 Rogue’s 12.3-inch HD color touchscreen system has so much computing power that engineers found it challenging to reach its limits during their testing process – a huge improvement over previous generation hardware.
“It’s really, really hard to get it to 50% [central processing unit utilization], let alone 100%,” said Florian Spahiu, senior manager, Infotainment and Connected Engineering. “The speed and processing power are very similar to what you experience in your phone.”
“As customers, our benchmark is our phones,” said Spahiu. “We use them on a daily basis and we expect similar performance from the vehicle’s touchscreen – to easily jump from app to app, or swipe and zoom maps without any delays.”
Better still, there’s plenty of extra computer power for additional features and updates: “This system is designed for what we will need in the future,” said Adam Saganski, senior manager, Infotainment Design.
2. Speak your mind
Vehicles have been available with voice recognition for years, but operating it was historically akin to speaking to a customer service phone tree – and just as fun.
“If you said the right command, at the right time, then everything worked fine. We spent thousands of hours testing that,” said Saganski. “But customers didn’t know the right commands or the right time to say the commands.”
By contrast, “having Google Assistant in Rogue is expected to eliminate almost all of those frustrations, because the commands and processing logic are quite natural,” said Spahiu. Drivers can ask questions about destinations, speak addresses in plain English, search for generic points of interest like, “car washes near me” – or even ask Google Assistant to operate certain vehicle functions, like adjusting the climate control temperature.
3. New phone? No phone with you? No problem
No matter which phone you’ve got in your pocket, the Nissan team has most likely tested it to work with Rogue. Engineers working on infotainment systems carry two devices – one Apple, one Android™ – in their quest to stomp out bugs across the spectrum of phones and to ensure all of them are compatible with the vehicle. The team has a collection of nearly two dozen devices from the past three years.
“We’ve tried to diversify the team’s phones, so we always have the latest and greatest to test. We know some customers have older devices, some newer; some more expensive, some more affordable,” said Florian. “At the same time, we can’t forget that a large number of people still use older phones, and we can’t discount testing those devices’ behavior with our systems.”
Of course, because app and map functionality is built into the vehicle’s infotainment system, plugging a phone into USB ports or pairing it by Bluetooth isn’t strictly necessary to use these connected functions. In the unlikely case you leave your phone at home, all your favorite apps will still be accessible with Google built-in through the vehicle’s data plan.
By signing in once to their Google account, drivers will have access to personalized traffic updates and recommendations based on their calendar. Plus, through Google Assistant, they can adjust compatible smart home devices like lights, thermostats and appliances – all while on the go1.
4. Always updated
Adopting Google Maps means that Rogue’s navigation directions are always up to date – crucial for helping drivers get to their destinations with ease. Think about how businesses change their address or construction detours impact your commute. By contrast, keeping all that data fresh was a challenge with legacy navigation systems that needed to be physically updated by the dealership.
“We would update the maps every quarter, and it may be months until the customer gets that update at the dealer,” said Saganski. “And if you bought last year’s vehicle, by the time you got home, the maps could already be 12 months or more out of date.”
Similarly, third-party apps downloaded to the infotainment system from the Play Store are seamlessly updated over the air, ensuring drivers always have the latest features in their favorite apps – just like on phones.
5. Proven in the concrete jungle
Take a guess: where is the most critical location for Nissan engineers to test out vehicle navigation systems? Conveniently enough for those who love deep dish, it’s Chicago.
As any out-of-town driver who’s gotten lost there can attest, Chicago’s dizzying multilevel roads and highways are challenging to navigate at the best of times. Yet they provide the perfect place to test whether a vehicle’s navigation system can decipher its location in a confusing urban environment, especially with countless overpasses and GPS signals bouncing off skyscrapers. For Spahiu’s Michigan-based team, “Chicago is the closest city with that kind of environment.”
However, there’s one test that the team has eliminated from its visits to the Windy City. Previously, they searched for hundreds of Chicago points of interest in the vehicle’s navigation system to verify map data matched the real world – is that pizza place really on that block? Has that bistro’s name changed? Thanks to the always-on data from Google Maps, “that’s a test that has been completely eliminated,” said Spahiu.
On sale soon
The refreshed 2024 Nissan Rogue is on sale later this winter with a starting Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)4 of $28,320. Find more on 2024 Rogue, including specifications, fuel economy, photos and videos, in the full press kit.