Apple CarPlay update presents carmakers with crucial choice

MANILA: Apple's wide-ranging update to its CarPlay system, announced last week at the company's annual World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC), has provided car manufacturers with a crucial option about the digital experiences they offer their customers: ramp up their efforts to curate something unique or cede control of their customers to Silicon Valley, according to connectivity pioneer VNC Automotive.

Apple's new setup will extend CarPlay over the vehicle's other screens, including the instrument cluster, where it was previously restricted to the infotainment display. Simultaneously, the next version of CarPlay aims to deepen its grasp on the vehicle's existing systems. Rather than being confined to smartphone-related tasks like music and navigation, the new system will have access to all vehicle data, including speed and fuel level, as well as control over features like cabin climate settings.

VNC Automotive Chief Executive Officer Tom Blackie said, “While on the face of it Apple’s advances seem like a good thing, giving customers a familiar interface to interact with, it also cuts vehicle manufacturers out of the in-car experience and limits opportunities to create brand loyalty.”

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have been at the vanguard of efforts to make vehicles operate more like smartphones, driven by the wide use of touchscreens and carmaker's efforts to promote digitalization as a way to appeal to a more tech-savvy customer.

“Initially, the rise of the touchscreen was all about saving hardware costs by implementing everything in software. Now, some cars feature a swath of screens right across the dashboard, offering a digital landscape almost as wide as the car itself. Recently, though, there’s been growing disquiet as drivers push-back against the level of attention these interfaces demand,” Blackie stated.

According to a recent study by the UK's Transport Research Laboratory, drivers took their eyes off the road for up to 20 seconds when asked to play music from Spotify, long enough to travel a third of a mile at highway speeds. Meanwhile, the European Commission considers that driver distraction is a factor in up to 30% of all accidents in Europe, suggesting the possibility of new regulations from legislators.

At the same time, many OEMs are on a road to becoming software houses first and car manufacturers second, with companies like Volvo and Volkswagen both hiring large numbers of developers as they look to software rather than hardware to differentiate themselves in an increasingly electrified market.

“That work is now at risk of being undermined. By ceding control of everything from the speedo to the seat controls, OEMs are giving Silicon Valley unprecedented access to their customers’ lives, and relinquishing their own opportunities while they’re at it,” Blackie said.

There is also a risk as the car's features may become unavailable to its owner when they shift to an alternative ecosystem or refuse to upgrade to the latest handset. Some may even be gone if Apple decides to discontinue support in an overnight iOS update.

“The carmakers we work with go to great lengths to ensure features work just as well after 10 years as they did the day the vehicle left the showroom,” Blackie stated. “With customers now keeping their cars for longer than ever, there’s a real risk of digital decomposition. Only now, car manufacturers won’t be able to stop it.”

Photo from VNC Automotive

Also read: Next-generation Apple CarPlay to act as extension of vehicle controls