Toyota Adopts Ford’s SmartDeviceLink Smartphone Software

Toyota plans to be the first automaker to adopt smartphone software developed by Ford, which has been offered to the industry at large in an effort to create a uniform method for car owners to use phone apps in their vehicles.

Ford’s open source software is called SmartDeviceLink, and the automaker branded a version for itself called AppLink to be used in Ford vehicles with a Sync infotainment system. The platform provides car owners with an easy way to access their favorite smartphone apps using voice commands and to display them on the car’s touchscreen.

The automaker decided to offer SmartDeviceLink for non-Ford vehicles with the hope that it will be widely adopted by other companies, thereby accelerating an industry standard that will increase the number of apps that are available for all to use.

“The true benefit of a common smartphone app communications interface is that it creates an industry standard—enabling great experiences for customers while allowing different companies the freedom to differentiate their individual brands,” said Don Butler, Ford executive director, Connected Vehicle and Services. “Ford is making the software available as open source, because customers throughout the industry benefit if everybody speaks one language.”

It is currently challenging for a developer to create an app that will be used by many automakers, as each has their own smartphone connectivity systems and therefore requires their own unique support. This current situation results in developers having to rewrite apps to be used with various systems.

Along with Toyota’s plans to adopt the open source software, Ford said that Honda, Subaru, Mazda and PSA Peugeot Citroen are also considering it.

“Developing a safer and more secure in-car smartphone connectivity service—which better matches individual vehicle features—is exactly the value and advantage an automaker can offer customers,” said Shigeki Terashi, Toyota’s executive vice president. “We expect that many companies share our view and will participate in the industry SmartDeviceLink collaboration.”

Other early adopters include automotive suppliers UIEvolution and QNX Software Systems. Ford officials say that this first wave of adopters is a step towards giving consumers more choice in how they connect and control their smartphone apps on the road. Additionally, the collaboration is intended to improve both the quality and security of the software.

The open source project is managed by Livio, a software integration company that was acquired by Ford in 2013.