We’re already seeing signs of it with OnStar, Bluetooth, and even 4G LTE, along with future app shops. Though GM CEO Dan Akerson’s remarks at the Chief Executives’ Club of Boston really speaks about how both the automotive and communications industries will treat cars in the future. On their favor, cars have superior battery life than the typical smartphone, and more communication/connectivity capabilities may keep the younger crowds interested in owning an automobile — as they can’t seem to go a minute without fiddling on the apps their phones carry (the average consumer now stares at these little glowing rectangles for 2.5 hours daily). Somehow, these people are the future of America.
Anyways, Akerson said that cars could also be new advertising platforms not long ago, kind of like how free internet radio services do so until paying for a subscription. With such connected cars, Akerson says that it will be “a megatrend that we intend to harness for competitive advantage.” And not just in America, but even mega-market China as well.
At the same time, however, AAA did just publish a study saying that even the use of hands-free devices can hinder driver awareness — though clearly not as much as texting while driving, or anything else that takes eyes off the road.
Comments
The technology explostion has just started with the new cars. We have seen nothing yet.
The next 5-10 year will bring major changes to how we use our cars and what they are able to do.