June 2008: Mobile's natural automotive fit
When your car is your phone: the convergence of mobile computing and automobiles
It seems that phone integration has become something of a grail quest within the automobile industry.
Prior to the release of the iPhone there were rumors circulating that Apple and Volkswagen were planning to collaborate on an “i-Car.” Despite being a brand-match made in heaven, the deal never got off the ground. BMW quickly stepped in to become the first auto maker to support iPhone in-car integration, enabling customers to access their music, contact lists and make hands-free calls via in-car controls.
Since then Ford and Microsoft have introduced Ford SYNC, a voice-activated in-car communications and entertainment system that enables drivers to control their mobile devices and media players (including Apple’s iPod and Microsoft’s Zune) using voice commands, and Nokia has been exploring in-car integration with its branded Ford Mustang concept car that supports multiple N800 Internet Tablets and Renault’s Twingo Nokia Special Edition.
Land Rover LRX concept with an iPhone docking station integrated into the center console.
But for those looking for full on car-phone convergence, the Land Rover LRX concept car shown at the Detroit Auto Show in January may be closer to the mark. Users can start the engine and adjust seat and window settings via the iPhone as seen in this video.
Even more radical is Delphi’s latest vehicle-access software created specifically for the iPhone. At the Consumer Electronics Show in January, Delphi demonstrated a concept application that can be used to start a car’s engine, lock or unlock doors, and monitor gas usage via a Bluetooth-enabled key fob. The diagnostic capabilities of the application suggest numerous opportunities for roadside assistance-related services.
Delphi’s Wireless Vehicle Access software as viewed on an iPhone.
What does all this clever hacking mean for the auto industry?
With the automobile rapidly becoming a powerful mobile computing platform, close collaboration among car designers, mobile device manufacturers, software developers and wireless carriers will be required as future cars are developed. This all comes at a time when the “American Idolization” of mobile application development is in full swing: venture capitalists Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers’s March announcement of its $100 million iFund launch was timed to coincide with the release of the new iPhone SDK; Google has been running a $10 million competition for Android applications; Blackberry has announced its own $150 million contest; and Nokia has been holding its Mobile Rules competition for a couple of years now. These competitions are fostering a new wave of innovation within the mobile industry and it will be interesting to see what sort of automobile-related applications emerge out of them.
One can imagine a restaurant directory and Google Maps mash-up that takes advantage of the new 3G iPhone’s built-in GPS capabilities for example. Or for environmentally conscious drivers there might be apps like Eco2Go, one of the top 50 applications selected from the first round of the Android Developer Challenge. Eco2go calculates a users’ carbon footprint over time. As drivers become more eco-conscious, applications like these could help them monitor how their vehicle usage is affecting the environment. For example, this Eco2go can display a list of recent trips and recommend public transit alternatives.
At present time the iPhone may have the upper hand in terms of potential automobile compatibility. While there is definitely a certain amount of cache that comes from being associated with the Apple brand, it is the ease-of-use that makes the iPhone top-of-mind for in-car integration. From a user experience perspective, what has been most significant about the iPhone is that it has shattered the long-held notion that cell phones must be inherently difficult to use. To that end, there is a shared ethos among Apple designers and car interior designers — simplicity rules. Very little learning time is required — ideal for when you are trying to operate the device while driving. Factor in the iPhone’s music player and speech-recognition capabilities (via VoiceSignal for example) and it will be difficult for other phones to compete in the near term.
As numerous “iPhone killers” come out of the woodwork, expect to see new alliances develop between car manufacturers, mobile device manufacturers, platform developers (iPhone, Google, Blackberry) and carriers in the near future.
Talk back
What car-phone alliances would you like to see? What kinds of car-related applications should developers be thinking about?
Related links:
BMW welcomes the new Apple iPhone; bmw.com
Ford says SYNC goes over big at CES; Autoblog, 01.12.07
Now this is how a Nokia-branded car should look — the Nokia Ford Mustang; IntoMobile, 10.05.07
A Nokia-branded Renault Twingo Nokia special edition? Lame . . .; IntoMobile, 10.04.07
iPhone featured in Land Rover LRX Concept Car; The iPod Observer, 12.14.07
Land Rover LRX concept unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show; Autoblogvideo on YouTube, 01.14.08
Delphi: Remote-control your car with an iPhone!; PC Magazine, 01.07.08
iPhone controls vehicle in real time using Delphi’s concept web app; Gizmodo, 01.10.08
Latest iPhone SDK agreement limits GPS software capabilities; Ars Technica, 06.11.08
UW engineers win Google Android; The Iron Warrior (the newspaper of the University of Waterloo Engineering Society), 06.11.08
The hybrid promise: One owner’s experience; headlightblog.com
Android Developer Challenge; Android, Google.com, 06.10.08
iPhone speech recognition demo; Gizmodo, 08.22.07
LG, Samsung have Apple phone killers ready; X-bit labs, 02.13.07
Further reading:
What would the i-Car be like?; Engadget, 08.29.07
Ford says SYNC goes big at CES - Autoblog
The Nokia Mustang is at CTIA; IntoMobile, 03.27.07
Nokia, Renault co-brand Twingo car; ZDNet, 10.03.07
Eco2go homepage and Facebook group
