- Automobile manufacturers can specify applications
- The apps are made automobile-compatible and controlled via the vehicle display
Use the navigation app to guide you by the fastest route to the next appointment taken from your personal calendar while at the same time listening to your favorite music on Internet radio and booking a suitable hotel room en route. The Car Multimedia experts at Bosch have developed mySPIN, a highly appealing smartphone integration solution that creates a perfect device-vehicle link and ensures safe and reliable in-car use. It allows users to continue using their preferred apps on their iPhone® or Android smartphone in the way they are accustomed to and without compromising safety.
Safe operation via the vehicle’s display
The integration solution by Bosch SoftTec GmbH provides an almost identical design and user experience for both mobile operating systems. Once it has been downloaded onto the mobile phone, mySPIN creates a smartphone-vehicle link inside the car. The apps are then made automobile-compatible, that is to say, they are pared down to present the driver with only the relevant information. The apps are subsequently displayed and controlled via the vehicle display.
“The ability to integrate smartphones and all relevant apps in their vehicles means car manufacturers are not only in a position to offer their customers an attractive range of new services but also means that the link to customer smartphones opens up an additional direct marketing channel for them to selectively address their customers,” explains Claus Ritzloff, head of sales at Bosch SoftTec GmbH.
What is more, automobile manufacturers can conveniently access the vehicle data via a web interface, thus enabling them to offer customers additional applications and services.
Huge variety of popular apps available anytime
This new system is fueled by apps, which are growing in number all the time. A wide variety of popular apps is already available for the mySPIN solution from Bosch. They include the most frequently used media player, maps, calendar and contacts apps. Also well-known applications like TomTom, Parkopedia, Winston, Hotelseeker, Glympse, Sticher and INRIX are ready to be used at any time.
All apps have been specially designed for use during the journey to be as least distracting as possible, thus ensuring maximum safety. There are only very few technical hurdles for applications to achieve this. App developers are provided with a software development kit.
The automobile manufacturer can specify which apps can be utilized in the vehicle by adding them to a white list. This white list can be updated and expanded as and when needed. The first vehicles of a European premium car manufacturer equipped with this globally applicable smartphone integration solution from Bosch will soon be on the road.
