LAS VEGAS – Have you driven and wrote an app for a Ford lately? The rubber is about to hit the road on that as both Ford and GM are using the Consumer Electronics Show to put out a call to all app developers to build new apps for their cars.
The move is seen as a necessary one as developers to this point have been slow to create innovative apps for connected cars. Ford introduced its Sync AppLink platform at CES three years ago and today it still only features a handful of apps – and those are limited primarily to audio streaming.
The car dashboard, one of the last pieces of real estate were advertisers have a large captive audience, has become a hotly contested market at CES with numerous companies unveiling technologies and products to grab a share of the growing infotainment space in automobiles.
The Ford Developer Program enables software developers to directly interface with the vehicle and create apps that it hopes will enhance the driving experience. The program “marks a dramatic shift in how we will innovate new features and add value to our vehicles throughout the ownership period,” said Hau Thai-Tang, vice president of engineering, Ford Global Product Development. “Opening the car to developers gives consumers a direct voice and hand in the creation of apps that can help our products remain relevant, up to date and valuable to our customers.”
General Motors claims its new development platform will enable features to be added to vehicles much more quickly and owners can then download apps directly to the dashboard through an app catalog. GM will provide developers with an SDK through a Developer Portal that allows them to collaborate with the automaker to design, test and deliver new apps. GM includes an HTML5 Java Script framework in its SDK.
According to a recent Nielsen survey, more than half of all American mobile subscribers now use smartphones of some kind and two-thirds of newly activated phones can run apps says Ford. Globally, there are now more than one billion smartphone users, a population that is expected to double by 2015. More than 55 billion apps have been downloaded from the leading digital markets, and American users have an average of 67 apps on their devices.
“When we first introduced Sync in 2007, there was a need for an appropriate way to connect and control cellphones and digital music players in the car due to the massive consumer adoption trend,” adds Thai-Tang. “Offering voice control so drivers can keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road has proven to be popular with our customers. Now, with an even faster adoption rate of smartphones, there is a need for a renewed focus on voice control for the unique capabilities of these devices, especially for the use of apps.”
A recent Frost & Sullivan study shows one in five survey respondents acknowledge using apps while driving with absolutely no connection to the vehicle. “The car presents an all-new opportunity for developers, especially the millennial market, and we’re looking forward to seeing what results,” said Thai-Tang. “Engaging innovators outside of the company is a key part of our strategy to be consumer-driven in all aspects of our business, helping us not only satisfy what’s going on today, but setting us up for innovative solutions to the challenges coming in the future.”
Ford says its developer program is similar to those now used by Apple, Google and Facebook. App developers who want to enable their creations for AppLink can now register to download the AppLink SDK. The SDK contains code libraries and documentation for the APIs that enable two-way communication between mobile apps and the vehicle including voice commands from the driver.
Ford says its focusing app development on three main categories: News and Information, Music and Entertainment, Navigation and Location. Once a developer has incorporated AppLink code into the app, it will be submitted for review by Ford engineers to ensure it works properly and is suitable for use in the vehicle. Once approved, Ford will then work with the developer to provide a distribution license, after which the app is submitted to the relevant app marketplace.
Ford at CES also announced new app partners that have joined the existing Ford AppLink ecosystem:
News and Information
• Wall Street Journal
• USA Today
• Kaliki – Radio talent reads audio versions of the most compelling articles from a variety of magazines and newspapers such as Shape Magazine, TV Guide, Men’s Fitness, OK! and Agence France-Presse. Launching with local papers in Detroit and Los Angeles with more publishers to come later in the year. All the content in Kaliki is free, with no subscription required
Music and Entertainment
• Amazon Cloud Player – Drivers can listen to their personal music collection streamed from Amazon’s cloud-based music locker service
• Aha Radio – Voice control of more than 30,000 stations of favorite Internet content – radio, on-demand music services, news, entertainment, podcasts, audiobooks, social feeds, personalized restaurant, coffee, weather etc.
• Rhapsody
• Greater Media – Listen to live streams of favorite radio stations from around the United States
Navigation and Location
• Glympse – Provide friends and family with an ETA and update of your location in real time on a dynamic map, completely hands-free
• BeCouply – Get instant suggestions for cool date ideas in your area
John Bugailiskis is in Las Vegas this week covering the Consumer Electronics Show for Cartt.ca.
