The automotive industry is getting in on
the app craze with programs that can be downloaded directly to the car.
CNET looks at the potential benefits -- and headaches -- of having an
app store on wheels.
If smartphones can have app stores, why not cars?
That's the thinking of at least some of the big automakers as they work to build the foundation for curated selections of car-centric apps that can be purchased directly from the vehicle's in-dash monitor.
The notion of the smart car and connected car applications was a hot topic of discussion at CE Week in New York last month.
If smartphones can have app stores, why not cars?
That's the thinking of at least some of the big automakers as they work to build the foundation for curated selections of car-centric apps that can be purchased directly from the vehicle's in-dash monitor.
The notion of the smart car and connected car applications was a hot topic of discussion at CE Week in New York last month.
In May, General Motors told CNET that
the first apps for its cars would arrive in the second half of the year,
helped by a partnership with AT&T to provide a 4G LTE connection to
many of its vehicles.
The increasing rhetoric and hype underscore a broader effort by the automakers to adapt to the changing times and use technology to set themselves apart.
The increasing rhetoric and hype underscore a broader effort by the automakers to adapt to the changing times and use technology to set themselves apart.
The industry, which is used to multiyear
development cycles on each car model and a consistent annual shipment
schedule, is attempting to work with a mobile device sector more
accustomed to a phone or tablet launch every other month, and where the
pace of innovation has been relentless.
Where automakers had previously focused on the point of sale, moving on from a customer after he drives off the lot, they are beginning to take a page out of the mobile devices industry with more continued support. The answer lies in software.
Where automakers had previously focused on the point of sale, moving on from a customer after he drives off the lot, they are beginning to take a page out of the mobile devices industry with more continued support. The answer lies in software.
The automakers believe apps and software
updates will future-proof smart cars and help them strengthen the
relationship with their customers.
"We're not just trying to give customers what they want; we're working on what we think they will want in the future," GM Vice Chairman Stephen Girsky said during his keynote address during Mobile World Congress in February.
This isn't about getting touchy-feely with the consumer; there's big money involved with this push. The market for hardware related to connected cars could grow to as much as $30 billion by the end of the decade, according to Gartner analyst Thilo Koslowski. The services revenue opportunity could potentially be another $20 billion.
But in racing to deliver the smarter car, the automotive industry risks confusing the customer. Many companies are staking their own different, incompatible path, potentially leading to a future platform war between competing automakers that threaten to sour consumers and developers on the idea of car apps.
"We're not just trying to give customers what they want; we're working on what we think they will want in the future," GM Vice Chairman Stephen Girsky said during his keynote address during Mobile World Congress in February.
This isn't about getting touchy-feely with the consumer; there's big money involved with this push. The market for hardware related to connected cars could grow to as much as $30 billion by the end of the decade, according to Gartner analyst Thilo Koslowski. The services revenue opportunity could potentially be another $20 billion.
But in racing to deliver the smarter car, the automotive industry risks confusing the customer. Many companies are staking their own different, incompatible path, potentially leading to a future platform war between competing automakers that threaten to sour consumers and developers on the idea of car apps.
The automakers may also find that creating and managing a store filled with car-centric apps isn't a task they're really up for.
Those concerns haven't dampened the enthusiasm. In some ways, the car is an ideal "vehicle" for apps, Koslowski said. There's room for multiple physical controls and displays; voice command is a logical addition to the driving experience; battery power isn't a limiting factor; and there's plenty of space to add cellular radios.
"The car could be the ultimate mobile device," he said.
Those concerns haven't dampened the enthusiasm. In some ways, the car is an ideal "vehicle" for apps, Koslowski said. There's room for multiple physical controls and displays; voice command is a logical addition to the driving experience; battery power isn't a limiting factor; and there's plenty of space to add cellular radios.
"The car could be the ultimate mobile device," he said.
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