Car Manufacturers Open Up Designs to App Developers

By: Umair Yousuf  |   January 11th, 2013   |   Cars, Mobile Apps, Smartphones

Everyone knows how dangerous it is to use smartphones while driving but many still cannot stop themselves from using their mobile devices to check up on game scores, compose email or do other tasks. Seeing this car manufacturers are increasingly looking to add functionalities to their vehicles allowing customers to complete their on the go tasks while still keeping both hands on the steering wheel and their eyes on the road.

 

However, car manufacturers do not wish to distract themselves from their core goal of providing great vehicles to clients and have now turned to application developers to create software applications for future car models. This is a relatively new strategy for car manufacturers but many are jumping on the bandwagon which frees them from keeping pace with new technological advances as they tie the internal systems of the cars to smartphones.

 

Ford and General Motors, two of the biggest car makers in the world, at CES 2013, invited app makers to suggest new ideas for what additional functionalities can be added to a vehicle’s microphone, speakers, steering wheel buttons and internal gauges. Both car manufacturers have opened up their designs of future models to application developers allowing them to create software applications that will allow consumers to use even more functionalities of their smartphones while driving.

 

Most of the development is concentrated on improving the voice command functionality of vehicles to play music and even respond to advertising over radio.

 

The technology still has a long way to go but the future will see drivers just needing to say the name of the artist they wish to hear to change tracks, respond to advertising while also providing the functionality to turn the car into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot.

 

Source: US News

 

Photo: T3.com