People’s relationships with cars have shifted in the last few years. Petrolheads are looking more like tech fanatics with the advances being seen in the automotive industry. The days of your car showing your personality as soon as you first pass are gone. Efficiency and convenience are on the top of most drivers’ lists, with exotic car experiences becoming a more common endeavor compared to the sweet smell of petrol in older days.
The rise of mobile and technological culture has entered the automotive world, driving the shift in how we interact with our vehicles. Modern cars are becoming an extension of our phones rather than an extension of our personalities. Some of the newest cars are smarter than our laptops and tablets and can interact with people at home or even at work. We are seeing a massive shift in how we see and use our vehicles, and here are some of the essential apps you must have if you have a passion for cars.
In-Car Assistance
The most modern generation of the auto industry, is seeing the introduction of our favorite apps used at home within our cars. Aspects such as keyless entry are increasingly seen with each new car model released. The most modern cars are equipped with Android-friendly operating systems allowing for apps such as Google Maps to help direct the way along with a series of more downloadable content.
Google assistance is one of the most heavily incorporated apps to be seen in new car models allowing drivers to change songs, climates, directions, and much more, with the relevant voice commands. Voice-assisted devices are being seen much more frequently in the home, and in the near future, we will notice them more and more in the cars that we drive. This is going to see a change with voice assistance becoming much more present in times to come. Some estimates state that by 2023, more than 8-billion devices will incorporate voice assistance, with cars being among them.
Phone as Keys
The classic cars and fobs as we know them are going to become a thing of the past, with modern vehicles replacing them entirely with apps. Modern cars have been seen to deliver vehicle access using mobile apps when standing within a particular range. The app will automatically unlock the car, engaging out of what would be seen as sleep mode from mobile devices, laptops, or computers. Your car will display the amount of charge left, similarly to your phone or portable device, along with the vehicle’s estimated range, giving the driver a good view of how long they can drive their car.
Just like cars already using keyless entry, cars will then unlock with a simple touch of the door handle. In some other modern vehicles, this technology has been taken a step further, completely removing the need for a fob. The driver simply needs to depress the brake lever and put the car into drive mode. As long as the person who is driving has the app on their phone, they are good to go.
Just like the other apps used on our phones, the way we share is a great way to connect, and this is no different with modern cars and apps. Drivers can share digital keys to permit friends and family to unlock their car without them even being there. Once permission has been granted, multiple drivers can access the car, making shared vehicles easy and simple.
Beyond Apps
To allow proper connectivity within vehicles, each car must connect and communicate digitally with its drivers. While it is still under development, the very near future will see vehicles use V2V communications that will push the abilities of app-powered car functionality to the next level. This will give vehicles the ability to communicate with other vehicles and devices and vice versa seen in modern mobile phones.
In real-time, they will have the ability to communicate with one another in an effort to prevent crashes and dangerous driving. This will also be great for maneuvers such as turning on the road and parking. Cars will anticipate the slowing of traffic ahead and work to prevent traffic jams allowing all drivers to get to their destinations in better time. Alternative routes and suggested lane changes will also be a common aspect of the driving world.
The relationship we have with our cars is no doubt changing for the better. The addition of applications within our cars is excelling us to connect to each other whilst driving in the safest way possible. Sharing and connectivity are seen in our everyday lives, so there is no reason it shouldn’t be an aspect we see on the road. The benefits for drivers are amazing, lowering the chance of traffic jams, collisions, and mistakes made on the road.
