Wireless updates open new avenues for autos, from The Detroit News.
Mobile apps are taking the communications industry by storm. And in the near future, a new generation of these specialized bits of software could be downloaded from the sky to your car or truck.
Many automakers already offer some in-vehicle apps. But wireless, or over-the-air, updates are expected to usher in a new array of enhanced apps and capabilities.
Want better performance at the track? You’ll be able to download a performance app can alter your car’s fuel injection and ignition timing for increased horsepower and torque. Need better fuel economy for a long trip? A different app could tune your car for better efficiency.
Those changes would be done wirelessly, through the on-board infotainment system or smartphone, according to Hanno Lorenzl, Global Automotive & Transportation Center senior manager for EY, formerly consulting firm Ernst & Young. “It opens up a whole new avenue for (automakers) to participate in the usage of the vehicle over time,” he said.
