Smartphones and tablets offer new ways to receive data in cars

Since Ford Motor Company took the lead in integrating several popular smartphone applications into its cars, many other automakers and first-tier auto parts suppliers have been thinking about how to integrate mobile devices and applications into the automotive environment. At the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas this month, manufacturers showcased their efforts in this regard, not only with innovative concepts but also with actual products.

Third-party apps in the car

Automakers are introducing more complex solutions for integrating mobile applications into automotive infotainment platforms.

Ford has already successfully integrated mobile applications into its SYNC platform at a production level, ahead of other automakers. SYNC AppLink is the industry's first software application that allows SYNC users to control smart applications through hands-free voice control and is now available as a free download for 2011 Ford Fiesta and Mustang owners.

Table 1 lists the third-party applications in the car

Ford announced that the iPhone, along with the initially announced BlackBerry and Android smartphones, will be compatible with AppLink. Pandora Internet Radio, Stitcher News Radio and OpenBeak are the first mobile apps to be supported by SYNC, some of which can be downloaded from the Android Market and BlackBerry App World and soon from the Apple App Store.

MINI USA is also working with Pandora to develop the first third-party app for its MINI Connected infotainment system. 2011 MINI vehicles equipped with MINI Connected will be able to stream Pandora, allowing access to personalized Internet radio stations through the vehicle's joystick, steering wheel buttons and in-car displays. The MINI Connected Pandora app, available free of charge, will feature an artistic color display, access to existing stations and the ability to create new stations using the vehicle's interface.

Meanwhile, Toyota's Entune allows Toyota drivers to make hands-free calls and control several music sources, including HD radio, all through voice control. Text-to-speech (TTS) can also read incoming SMS text messages. Bluetooth connectivity will support mobile applications such as iheartradio, Pandora, Bing local search, MovieTickets.com content and OpenTable.com restaurant reservations. In addition, the system will support dashboard applications, allowing users to add new applications in the future.

Aftermarket Solutions

Internet radio, or Pandora, is also becoming mainstream in the aftermarket. Many vendors have introduced in-dash head units that feature Pandora Link, which connects to iPhones via USB. At this year's CES, JVC, Kenwood, and Sony joined Alpine and Pioneer, which have been actively expanding their Pandora Link services since last year.

However, these aftermarket solutions are typically based on each supplier’s own platform and do not show the potential to reduce costs in the future by supporting other mobile applications.

JVC Mobile has invested heavily in developing apps for its 2011 line of car radios. Many of its new receivers support Pandora, which has 75 million users, iheartradio, which has 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 line of head units, which start at $119, will be compatible with many other apps for iPhones, including YouTube, which can appear on the AV radio screen.

Tablets in cars

Tablets have flooded the mobile computing market this year, and this trend can be seen at CES. About 35 companies demonstrated tablets, many of which are based on the Android operating system. Tablets and smartphones offer similar functions and are gradually converging in terms of applications, services and form factors. Like smartphones, tablets are also entering the automotive environment.

There are other ways to bring in-car mobile applications to the car head unit through the use of third-party applications via smartphones. Recently announced embedded connectivity solutions, such as the monitored telematics systems used by Hyundai Blue Link, Ford Focus Electric and Nissan Leaf, bring connected services directly to the head unit, just like built-in applications. In addition, car manufacturers are also producing separate smartphone applications for remote control of car functions.