Infotainment Systems: Just Plug In Your Smartphone

Vehicle infotainment systems were among the popular topics at the 2014 Los Angeles auto show. The exposition gave visitors a chance to the direction that vehicle in-dash systems are headed. Apple and Google are competitors in the race into your dashboard. It’s a battle of Android verses iPhone. More precisely, it’s ApplePlay verses Android Auto. The two in-car technology platforms are becoming available in an increasing number of vehicles. As we reported previously, Apple came out with CarPlay in March of this year, while Google announced Android Auto during the spring of 2014, it won’t be widely available until 2015. The only vehicle make, which currently has Apple’s CarPlay built-in, is Ferrari, with Hyundai trying to beat other common brands to the in-car tech punch. The Korea-based automaker showed off their Android-Auto equipped Hyundai Sonata at the aforementioned LA Auto show. Miles Johnson, A Hyundai spokesman, said his organization is racing to beat other manufacturers to the dash. “We’re trying to be first, and I think we’re going to get there, this could be a competitive advantage for us,” Johnson explained.

Both systems work in vehicles that have a platform that will allow motorists to plug their phone into their car to establish a connection. The Android Auto also requires Bluetooth link-up. The infotainment system takes over the center console screen with an ultra-simplified vehicle operating system. Both systems have voice controls in order to minimize the potential for driver-distracted errors. On this subject, Thilo Koslowski, Vice President and automotive practice leader at Gartner told the LA Times, “Apple and Google, and a lot of other technology companies, cannot ignore where consumers are truly mobile—and that’s in their cars. Being able to extend their reach to customers when they’re in their vehicles is pretty important.”

The need for a mobile and ever-evolving infotainment OS seems to have come about because automakers crash-landed in this category. It seems that far too often, the built-in vehicle infotainment systems were difficult to use and quickly fell behind the technology curve. It’s certainly easier for them to simply provide the platform and allow smart phones to evolve. What’s occurring with in-car systems is exactly what happened with GPS units. Much to the chagrin of Garmin, instead of buying a GPS and watching it become outdated, it’s much more popular to just update the app on your smartphone and have an ever-updating GPS system with you at all times. The GPS is evolving, just like the mobile, modern consumer.

For Apple and Google, there is a strong opportunity for customers to spend even more time with their phones if they are integrated into the individual’s vehicle. This means more phone time than ever. A 2013 Experian study revealed that the average adult spends about 58 minutes per day on their smartphone. Those numbers changed based on the phone type, with iPhone users spending an hour and fifteen minutes on their device, while that total was 49 minutes for Android owners. Andy Gryc, the Conference Director of the Connected Car Expo, told the L.A. Times that in-car technology comes with a great opportunity. Gryc explained, “It’s also a very captive audience: People are in their cars for good chunks of the day, so Apple and Google are realizing, ‘If I want to get some dedicated time with the customer, I need to bring my service, bring my apps, bring my ecosystem into the car.’ “As Google and Apple seize the vision of having even more time with their customers, surely advertisers will catch on. Will ads become part of in-car technology? Is that an unexplored medium that will be ready for exploration in the coming years? Is the staff at your dealership going to be trained on in-car systems like Android Auto or CarPlay? How will this new technology impact the car stereo and accessory business?