The plucky webOS keeps chugging along in auto infotainment

Apparently the Palm inheritance can drive more than smart TVs and watches

What you need to know

• LG and Qualcomm will bring webOS to the Snapdragon Automotive Development Platform.
• A reference platform for a new car infotainment system will be shown at CES 2020.
• Qualcomm says Snapdragon will bring multi-display support and 5G capabilities to your car.

LG and Qualcomm announced plans to show off a new automotive infotainment platform running LG's webOS on Qualcomm's Snapdragon Automotive Development Platform (ADP). The new platform will run LG's Linux-based webOS Open Source Edition 2.0 and marks a new entrant into the auto OS space after Apple's Carplay and Google's Android Auto.

LG has announced no specific details on how cars and drivers will benefit from webOS support, nor whether the system would operate in tandem with smartphones like Apple and Google products or as a standalone service. For its part, Qualcomm happily bragged of Snapdragon's capabilities in the car, including the power to drive high-res passenger and rear-seat entertainment displays with advanced graphics and ultra HD streaming provided by 5G networks.

Smartphone fans remember webOS as the system that drove Palm's comeback Palm Pre devices, and was later passed among tech giants until it landed at LG running various devices including smart TVs and wearables. LG and Qualcomm plan to show a reference platform for the new collaboration in January at CES 2020 in Las Vegas.

A webOS TV

LG 55-inch C8 OLED

$1300 at Amazon

A smart TV running a car OS

The LG C8 OLED is the best webOS TV you can buy right now. It features an incredible OLED panel with deep blacks, vivid colors, HDR10, Dolby Vision support and so much more. If you want to try webOS, this is better than waiting for the car.