Technology is changing how we
interact with everything in our world,
from our homes to our cars. More
than a few models on the show floor
at the 2016 Chicago Auto Show
at McCormick Place are available
with streaming Internet radio from
a service like Pandora or Stitcher,
for example. This means that audiophiles now have
more ways than ever to listen
to music in the car – no longer
are consumers limited to what
songs they have saved on their
phones.
That’s not the biggest news,
though. Over the past year,
Apple CarPlay and Android
Auto have begun to make their way into more and more
vehicles sold by major brands across the industry. These
smartphone-mirroring systems activate when an iOS- or
Android-equipped smartphone is plugged in via the USB
port, giving drivers a center-stack display that emulates
the operating system on their phone. These systems
allow for hands-free use of maps and apps (including
text messaging, streaming radio, audiobooks, podcasts,
and more), thus bringing the smartphone experience into
vehicles in a way that’s meant to not be distracting to the
business of driving.
Smartphone mirroring systems aren’t the only way
drivers can access apps. Indeed, there are apps a plenty, as
automakers offer their own in-
car app suites, such as Toyota’s
EnTune or Ford’s Sync AppLink
system. These systems offer
streaming radio, the ability to
search and call businesses, the
ability to search sports scores,
weather information, and other
apps that might be useful to drivers and passengers. Need
a restaurant recommendation and directions to the eatery?
These app suites can provide that, as one example.
Passengers who previously had to occupy themselves
by either talking to the driver or staring out the window,
counting out-of-state license plates, now can access in-car
4G LTE Wi-Fi in many models that you will see on the
show floor. This will let passengers watch movies or play
games without burning through their data or relying on
cell-tower coverage (the vehicle itself becomes a Wi-Fi
hotspot). As an example, more than 40 vehicles from the
four General Motors brands offer in-car 4G LTE.
In-car Wi-Fi is nice, but smartphone connectivity can
help you when you’re out of your car, too. OnStar offers
the RemoteLink app, which allows users to lock and
unlock their car, or start it remotely, or access vehicle
diagnostics, all through the app. That sort of thing can
come in handy during a tough Chicago winter. You can
even lock your car from halfway across the country if
you’re on vacation and realize that it’s sitting unlocked in
an O’Hare lot. If you have an electric vehicle, these apps
can help keep you informed of remaining range and other
functions. Other automakers offer similar apps, whether
it’s Nissan with NissanConnect, or Mercedes-Benz with
Mbrace, or Ford’s Remote Access, or countless others.
It’s a brave new world, indeed.
By Tim Healey
Freelance Automotive Journalist
More Than100 , 000 Veh i c l es Jus t A Cl i ck Away…Dr i veCh i cago. com
CHICAGO AUTO SHOW 2016
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