All the new devilry of Apple Car Play
Apple's IronHeart project envisages an extension of management to many of the vehicle functions: from infotainment to air conditioning, from instrumentation management to seat adjustment. But car manufacturers may not like it
Apple is working on new functions to be integrated into Apple Car Play, the technology that already allows you to manage some smartphone applications from the vehicle infotainment system. To the current functions for managing streaming music, navigation and sending calls, others will be added such as air conditioning adjustment, interaction with the on-board computer and adjustments such as those of the seats and much more. The project , known within the Cupertino company as IronHeart, is still in its embryonic stages and requires the collaboration of car manufacturers to move to the operational phase.
The idea of expanding the services follows the explicit requests of many users, who have suggested to Apple to transform Apple Car Play from an app management system to a technology integrated with the vehicle on which it operates. A suggestion that, evidently, Cupertino liked it and that implies how the auto sector can be a big source of revenues for the technology giant, even without producing one on its own. As is known, in fact, Apple has been working for a long time on the development of a model of its own, but the plans have suffered several setbacks, including the defection of some key executives. Hence the intuition: to develop the technology, leaving the car manufacturers to produce the vehicle. A further confirmation of when – even in the automotive sector – software can be more profitable than hardware: great added value and the possibility of being installed or used on an infinite number of models and sold to third parties.
CASE AUTO AL BIVIO: COLLABORATE WITH APPLE OR DO IT YOURSELF?
IronHeart could represent the strongest acceleration since Apple Car Play was first released in 2014. By gaining access to controls and tools, Apple could transform CarPlay into an extended interface to a myriad of car functions. And the data obtained could also be used in Cupertino or by third parties to develop new apps or features. But, it could be hampered by auto manufacturers' reluctance to relinquish control of vehicle functionality. And if, today, over 600 models use it, it is not certain that a much more inclusive version can be digested easily and quickly by manufacturers.
After the launch, there have been exchanges of access to the respective technologies, but several manufacturers have preferred to develop the technological platforms internally, ignoring the solutions proposed by Apple and Google (with Apple Car Play and Android Auto respectively). All this, always because developing software – in perspective – is more profitable than developing, the “envelope”. Opposition from manufacturers could push Apple to delay – or even worse, cancel – IronHeart features if they fail to convince them to open their own onboard systems. But the houses will have to be careful not to disappoint the expectations of iPhone owners. It cannot be ruled out that some manufacturers may be more supportive of Apple, while others may grant limited access permissions.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/smartcity/tutte-le-nuove-diavolerie-di-apple-car-play/ on Sun, 17 Oct 2021 06:30:27 +0000.