Automarkers become software companies
Software
Adds without heavy investment
More value to products
More freshness
Automakers
Invest in
Ford Motor Company
My Ford Touch Interface
In-dash touchscreen to select vehicles with control free navigation:
Music
Phone integration
Temperature
upgraded to add
Support for Pandora
Smartphone and tablet integration
Better voice responses
Create new software interface within months and update it over a life of a car without much lead time
can be used to
Alleviate urban congestion
Reserve parking spaces in advance
Make cars drive themselves
Customer
Cars needs
To be connected to a central system that coordinate with public transit and other transportation methods
To be equipped with software that can monitor and enhance vehicle function at the most basic levels
To feed incresing amounts of information systems whose purpose would be to minimize highway congestion
Industry standard
That does not exist yet
BMW
Can be used to
Develop ways for vehicles to communicate with each other on the road to avoid collisions
Believes apps will become atractive with BMWi electric and hybrid cars
Investments should be made for them to be
Updated
Tested
Apps
Mails USB sticks to customers with software upgrade to
Improve
Navigation controls
Music and phone features
Hability to control temperature
System speed
Automobile companies are enhancing their vehicles with on-board software that improves the customer experience
Customers should get into the habit of checking website for upgrades
Hired "human machine interface engineers"
Customer feedback allows to
Understand how customers interact with software in their cars
Give highlights about how to improve software
Ask dealers to dedicate more time and personel to hands-on technology training
Investing in mobile apps
Help customers deal master interface
GM
Daimer
Allows app developers to access its computer systems to improve app function
Privacy concerns
Users will be able to
Allows cars to be online in clouds
Remotly track their cars
Diagnose problems with the car
Using car sensors and engine readouts
Manufacturerers will be able to aggregate and analyze data from customers
Maybe customers from social media era don't worry about privacy issues
Auto analysts believe automakers will learn from mistakes as they learn how to handle sensitive customer data and to provide robust privacy options
That relly on premium services (auto analysts are skeptical)