Five Ways Mobile Internet will Transform Cars in 2013
Car manufacturers are exploring ways to integrate mobile Internet into various automobile models and soon enough most consumers will remain connected across cars, homes, and all their ‘digital lives’.
“Connected vehicles” are cars that access, consume, create, enrich, direct, and share digital information between businesses, people, organizations, infrastructures, and things,” said Thilo Koslowski, a leading expert on the evolution of the automotive industry. “Those ‘things’ include other vehicles, which is where the Internet of Things becomes the Internet of Cars.”
Here are the five ways the mobile Internet will be used in cars:
- Integration of Siri
- Self-Driving Technology
- Parking Guidance
- Apps for GPS Navigation
- LTE Integration
Apple Siri will be integrated in car models like Honda Accord and Acura RDX and ILX. This intelligent assistant will help the driver with specific tasks by issuing commands and questions while keeping their eyes fixed on the road.
“The intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking, is now available in 2013 Honda Accord and Acura RDX and ILX models as a dealer installed option,” according to American Honda.
“Using Eyes Free mode, Siri takes hands-free functionality even further and minimizes distractions even more by keeping your iOS device’s screen from lighting up.”
Toyota recently unveiled its autonomous vehicle project at CES 2013. The self-driving Lexus functions as a robotic car where it can drive itself while a driver stays inside.
This is already appearing in the Lexus LS 460 and in many instances exceeds capabilities of a normal human being. Camera recognition technology can literally see around corners and generally further than the human eye.
Car manufacturers are adding advanced functionality by combining smartphone apps and mobile Internet to keep consumers safe while driving. This includes features such as parking guidance, lane departure warnings, and blind spots alerts.
Consider the Parker 3.0 app, released by Streetline, available for both Android and iOS devices. “With this latest release for both iPhone and Android, consumers can quickly view available parking options based on pricing, location, and/or real-time availability,” said said PR News Wire.
“Parker 3.0 also features voice guidance to indicate parking nearby, as well as the ability to find parking based on user-defined preferences such as electric vehicle (EV) charging stations or handicapped spaces.”
“Apps like Waze might feature decent GPS navigation services on your smartphone, but carmakers want to integrate their own software services to get an edge on competitors,” said Pamy Orlson of Forbes.
It will be more convenient to consumers as they navigate the streets while driving with the use of GPS navigation apps like Waze and Google Maps.
According to Gartner’s conducted research, “Thirty percent are likely to opt for a vehicle that allows them to tether their smartphone to get Internet connection there.”
Verizon Communications Inc., demonstrated its new plans for Internet-connected cars that have an edge over its competitors like AT&T and Sprint Nextel Corp. The company prides itself for covering about 470 cities in the US with its LTE services.
The speedier network allows consumers to connect to the Internet faster using their smartphones to navigate places and routes while driving and run other bandwidth-heavy applications.
“Almost half (46%) are interested in safely accessing mobile applications inside the vehicle. These applications include receiving on-demand wireless map or software updates, finding available parking spots, and conducting local searches,” according to Gartner conducted research for US vehicle owners.
With Internet becoming more accessible it’s evermore evident that ensuring your business website displays well on mobile devices; that includes the upcoming car browsers.