Aftermarket (retail) car radio makers be warned. General Motors may be plotting its answer to Ford’s Sync radios. GM is negotiating with Google (developer of Android smartphones) to create in-car telematics systems that would work with smartphones, reports Motor Trend.
The system is expected to allow customers to use almost any smartphone with a GM radio/device and also to allow smartphone control over remote start and other features (which the Sync does not yet offer). In other words, it may be time to replace OnStar’s old technology with an Android based system which includes its own free turn-by-turn GPS directions. There’s not much information here…just a warning: Smartphone compatibility and app streaming in the car is going to be a must have feature soon, in case you haven’t gotten the memo.
Source: Motor Trend
UPDATE!!! Now it looks like General Motors may open up OnStar to developers to create OnStar apps (as Ford has done). A tweet by OnStar president Chris Preuss Tuesday says OnStar is “looking at” opening up the service to app developers. Also see yesterday’s story on OnStar heading for retailers.
–Amy Gilroy
If only more than 92 people could read this.
Wow a computer in a car!, welcome to the future. I’ve had a similar setup in my car for almost a decade now. I like how these multi-billion dollar corporations can’t seem to figure this out. Blue tooth car integration should of been standard 10 years ago. It’s not like anyone dies from fumbling their phone in the car while driving right, why would hands free calling be important to a driver?. There more concerned with charging micro fees for outdated service. I hope by in-car telematics they mean a computer running chrome. or even a powerhouse running 7.It doesn’t have to be hand held, just interact with mine. once again, it seems to me these companies dropped the ball, and aftermarket has been offering these services for over a decade.