The race is on. As carmakers continue to find ways to integrate our mobile devices with cars, Toyota Motor Company and Ford Motor Company announced the formation of a consortium known as SmartDeviceLink. The new non-profit company, which was unveiled at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, envisions a world where consumers will have more choices in how they connect their smartphones to their vehicles.
To achieve its goal, SmartDeviceLink will utilize open source software platforms, allowing for a uniform standard by which automakers and suppliers can integrate smartphone apps into the vehicle’s infotainment system and the like. Moreover, developers need not worry about how to integrate various platforms and vehicles, instead focusing on coming up with the best user experience possible.
With the new uniform integration, apps link Pandora, Spotify, AccuWeather, and Skype for Business, for instance, can easily be called up using voice commands, steering wheel controls, and in-vehicle displays. The new standard also means no matter what vehicle you drive or device you use, you will easily be able to link the two in a seamless and safe manner.
This early, carmakers like Mazda Motor Corporation, Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru), PSA Group (Peugeot-Citroen), and Suzuki Motor Corporation have signed up to be part of the group. Meanwhile, Luxoft, Elektrobit, and Xevo are the consortium’s supplier members. And QNX, Harman, Panasonic, and Pioneer have expressed interest in joining.
It would be interesting to see what the fruits of this consortium will be. One thing’s for sure: it will definitely be a connected future out on the open road.
