Ever since Ford pioneered the integration of several popular smart phone applications in the car, many other original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and Tier 1 automotive suppliers have mulled over how to bring mobile devices and apps into the automotive environment. The 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this month showcased such efforts, not just as innovative concepts but as real products.
Third-Party Apps in the Car
OEMs are bringing more sophisticated solutions for mobile app integration into the automotive infotainment platform.
Ford, earlier than any other OEM, has been successful in achieving mobile app integration in its SYNC platform at the production level. SYNC AppLink, the industry-first software application that gives SYNC users hands-free voice control of their smart phone apps, now is available as a free download for 2011 Ford Fiesta and Mustang owners.
Ford announced that the iPhone, along with initially announced BlackBerry and Android-based smart phones, will be compatible with AppLink. Pandora Internet radio, Stitcher news radio and OpenBeak are the first SYNC-enabled mobile apps, some of which can be downloaded from Android Market and BlackBerry App World, and soon from the Apple App Store.
MINI USA also is collaborating with Pandora to develop the first third-party app for its MINI Connected infotainment system. All 2011 MINI cars equipped with MINI Connected will be able to stream Pandora, thus
enabling access to personalized Internet radio via the vehicle’s joystick, steering wheel buttons and on-board monitor. The MINI Connected Pandora app, available at no charge, will feature color display of album art, access to existing stations, and the capability to create new ones using the car interface.
Meanwhile, Toyota’s Entune enables Toyota drivers to make hands-free phone calls and control several music sources like High Definition (HD) Radio all via voice. A text-to-speech (TTS) function will read incoming short message service (SMS) text messages as well. Bluetooth connectivity will enable integration with mobile applications such as iheartradio, Pandora, Bing local search, MovieTickets.com content and OpenTable.com restaurant reservations. Plus, the system will allow for in-dash app support, allowing users to add new apps as they become available over time.
Aftermarket Solutions
Internet radio, namely Pandora, is going mainstream in the aftermarket as well, as many suppliers have launched in-dash head units that feature Pandora Link using USB-connected iPhones. At CES this year, JVC, Kenwood and Sony joined Alpine and Pioneer, which also dramatically expanded their Pandora Link offerings from last year.
However, these aftermarket solutions are usually based on the respective supplier’s proprietary platform and do not show potential in the future of hosting other mobile apps in exchange for low cost.
For its part, JVC Mobile has heavily invested in app use in its 2011 car radio lineup. Many of its new receivers work with Pandora, with 75 million users; iheartradio, with 11.5 million users; or the MotionX global positioning system (GPS) app, one of the most popular navigation apps in the iTunes App Store. JVC said its 2011 headunit line, priced from $119 up, works with many other apps for iPhones including YouTube, which may be displayed on AV radio screens.
Tablets Coming to Cars
Tablets are flooding the mobile computing market this year, as shown at CES. About 35 companies showcased tablets, many of which were based on the Android operating system. Tablet computers and smart phones provide some similar functions and are gradually converging in terms of applications, services and size. Like smart phones, they are making their way into the in-vehicle experience as well.
There are alternative methods to bring mobile apps in the car by using third-party apps rendered via smart phones into the vehicle headunit. Newly announced embedded connectivity solutions, such as the monitored telematics systems found in Hyundai’s Blue Link, Ford’s Focus Electric and Nissan’s Leaf, are hosting connected services directly into the headunit as native apps. On top of that, the OEMs also are making separate smart phone apps for the remote control of vehicle functionalities.
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