Finding the balance between in-car experience and driver distraction

Telematics Update’s new report titled In-Vehicle Smartphone Integration notes that when developing in-vehicle technology fulfilling customer expectation and subsequently automakers’ smartphone functionality needs is the key to successful smartphone integration business ventures. 

Telematics Industry journalist, Jessica Royer Ocken, reports that ‘when using technology in a vehicle, efficiency is key, the success of Apple’s iPod and the love affair with smartphones illustrate how consumers are drawn by ease-of-use’.
The In-vehicle Smartphone Integration report is equipped with graphs, statistics and figures revealing exactly what buyers consider an attractive and viable infotainment system, such as ‘ease of use’, along with case studies of existing OEM smartphone applications from OnStar, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz USA, BMW and Mini. 

The opportunity for tier 1 companies eager to supply telematics solutions to OEMs, and tier 2 companies in software and application development to identify where they can generate revenue in the in-vehicle smartphone eco-system, is facilitated by Telematics Update’s new report. 

Mark C. Boyadjis, senior analyst and manager for North American Automotive with IHS iSuppli states: “The question is how to take apps that seem relevant for the in-vehicle experience and make them safe to use.” 

Silvio Nasi, sales director for embedded and automotive technologies with Loquendo, an Italy-based company specializing in speech recognition and synthesis technologies suggests that “although touch-screen interfaces are very cool, they’re difficult to use while driving because the smooth surface requires visual contact to find the right button’. 

Combatting the ever growing issue of driver distraction Telematics Update’s report, published in August 2011, examines these concerns and the potential legislation surrounding them. Driver distraction as well customer experience is accounted for guiding the creation of lucrative smartphone integration business models. 

For more information visit http://www.telematicsupdate.com/smartphonereport/index.shtml or contact Charlotte Wright on + 44 (0) 2073757517 or at cwright@telematicsupdate.com 

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