Apps for Cars

Read about the current status and prediction of autonomous, self-driving cars and apps for cars them ahead of the Geneva Car Show 2016. We at the app developer agency, Swiss Tomato share our point of view.

Self-driving Cars ahead of the Geneva International Car Show

But what about our cars? After all, most of us spend at least a few hours driving every day, which presents a great opportunity for enriching our driving experience with all kinds of different apps. With the 86th Geneva International Motor Show right around the corner, this topic seems to be more relevant than ever. But before the car and technology industry leaders unveil their latest products and inventions, let’s take a quick look at the current landscape and consider where the technology could head in upcoming months and years.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

There’s no doubt that Apple and Google are leading the market with their mobile application platforms based on their popular mobile operating systems. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto extend the capability of your smartphone on a display built into your car and provide you with a convenient access to all commonly used apps that you are accustomed to from your phone. You can listen to music or online podcasts, seamlessly communicate with your friends and colleagues via SMS messages or voice calls, enjoy smart, contextually aware navigation, and receive daily news curated specifically to suit your own interests.

Hyundai Blue Link iOS app

Both companies leverage their strong position to cooperate with various car manufacturers to bring their solutions directly to customers and allow access to many low-level features of the car. The most exciting recent example would have to be the Hyundai Blue Link iOS app. This app connects any compatible Hyundai vehicle with owner’s smartphone to let her, for example, remotely start the vehicle, unlock doors, make a service appointment, or find the car on a large and busy parking lot.

Tesla and Google

All these features hint at the image of future that could be presented very shortly in Switzerland. However, with Tesla and Google investing into the development of driverless cars, it’s more than likely that technological innovation will reach far beyond what we would imagine just a few years ago. Cars of the future are probably going to be mostly autonomous and heavily rely on emerging augmented reality and wearable technology. A large head-up display (HUD) could highlight which exit to take, while heath monitoring sensors built into your seatbelt could cause the vehicle to safely stop in case of seizure or sudden cardiac arrest.
Geneva Car Show 2016 will offer a nice peek behind the curtains of modern car application and technology solutions and provide us with clear answers as to which predictions will soonest become the reality.
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