Americans spend 45 billion hours a year in their automobiles and recent advances in technology, especially the smart phone, are leading manufacturers to develop new entertainment systems and new profit centers.
Big Auto Wants a Piece of Apps Action
Auto manufacturers for example, are gearing up to embed dashboard platforms for voice commanded and controlled software applications for games, entertainment and education that can be used hands-free and would provide a significant new income stream for the industry. Auto manufacturers will control the operating system and therefore the marketplace for software apps to be used in automobiles.
Smaller Apps Makers and Startups Want to Stay Relevant
A new company called Joyride, backed by Turntable’s Seth Goldstein, believes that instead of creating a new platform in automobiles smartphones can be adapted to the same purpose by designing entirely hands-free technology and games and entertainment suites for smartphones.
Joyride has received $1 million in seed funding and is building a voice-command technology that integrates with the car’s stereo system through its auxiliary jack or Bluetooth connection or into the car’s OS software.
Joyride plans to provide its own games and software and to integrate social media into the automobile experience. For example, riders will be able to play trivia games, learn about historical locations and figures as they drive, hear information about local landmarks and events and play these games against other players or a computer.
Internet Penetration In the Automobile
With advanced and ever advancing voice technology, cloud services, and connected devices, super bored people in automobiles can start to enjoy their time more and maybe even get something productive accomplished. The technology will include a reusable voice user interface (VUI) which will learn and store commands and recognize player voices. In addition, a motion activated control system will be added over time.
