The Connected Car Dilemma
Auto makers have embraced in-car infotainment as a way to offer a connected experience for drivers, but without any standardization, these systems have struggled to resonate.
There is no exact figure on how much the industry has collectively invested in developing infotainment systems, but a MarketsandMarkets research report projects in-car infotainment will be worth $14.4-billion (U.S.) by 2016, representing a 12-per-cent increase year-over-year since 2010.
Despite the growth, Consumer Reports' Annual Auto Reliability Survey noted a number of issues with the 248 vehicle models between 2005 and 2014 from 28 brands cited in the study. Infotainment systems accounted for the majority of complaints among the 17 problem areas addressed.
Combining telematics, navigation and media integration has largely been the focus for auto makers, but the proliferation of smartphones and apps has also presented a challenge for their systems to be truly connected, safe and relevant.
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