Connectivity seems to be coming to everything nowadays, such as thermostats, refrigerators, watches — you name it. We’ve mentioned some of the ways connectivity has come to the automobile, but what about something a little more abstract: How can connectivity change the way we drive? Beyond autonomous cars (which are still a few years from prime time) we took a look at a few of the ways connectivity is changing the way we drive.
Texting
Distracted driving is an issue with the rise of the connected life. Many automakers have given their infotainment systems the ability to interact with your smartphone’s technology. Some systems can read your text messages aloud and send a canned response, such as “I can’t talk right now, I’m driving” or “I’ll call you back.” Beyond the basic responses, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both allow drivers to compose messages completely by voice command.
Directions
Sure, on-board navigation has been around for years, but even in our increasingly connected world sometimes a new business or housing tract might not be listed on your nav system’s map. While the days of paper maps are waning, DVD- or hard-drive-based navigation systems are only as current as the day it was released or last updated.
Traffic Prediction and Rerouting
The ability to reroute a vehicle that’s en route goes hand-in-hand with updated maps. Navigation phone applications such as Waze can change your route on the fly if an accident brings the freeway to a standstill, or if one clears up and a previously packed route becomes clear. The latest predictions and traffic conditions can be sent directly to our vehicles, changing the way we drive on a minute by minute basis.
Finding gas
Need to find the nearest gas station? Thank goodness for connectivity, especially if you prefer to avoid certain franchises or want to patronize others. Automakers have made it even more convenient for drivers with navigation systems too, prompting them to “navigate to nearest gas station” when the low fuel light comes on. Step into an electric vehicle and it’s even better, as most have systems that help you find a local charging station.
New restaurants
Don’t know where to eat in an unfamiliar city? Your connected car will help you find a new restaurant, and thanks to live updates, it’s not the same 10-12 places that paid to be on the right list (presumably). We like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for this, since searching is as easy as “find a Mediterranean restaurant nearby.”
Conversations
A nifty feature we discovered while playing around with Android is the ability to translate phrases into another language on the fly (the Hyundai Sonata, available with Android Auto, is shown here). This is pretty much the same as using Google Translate, so the translation is formal and not quite “normal”. It’s also very literal. We enlisted the help of Motor Trend Espanol’s associate online editor, Miguel Cortina, who rated the translations as passable, but not the way he would have said it. So, if you find yourself in the car with a hungry foreign friend-of-a-friend, connectivity can help you get lunch!
OTA Firmware updates (Tesla)
Do you hate having to visit the dealer three times to get three different software updates in as many months? Unless they’re giving out free donuts, you’re probably like us: not loving it. Connectivity will (eventually) allow us to skip the visit and download software updates “over the air” (OTA for tech geeks), just like when you update your smartphone. Easy and painless, but no donuts.
Music choices
Instead of listening to the same CD that’s been in your car since last month, satellite radio, or (heaven forbid) plain old radio, there are apps that let you select from a much larger library than most of us could afford to have. Spotify and Pandora are two favorites around Motor Trend HQ. Want to listen to “Testarossa Autodrive” by Kavinsky? Boom, done. “Chandelier” by Sia? Wish granted. Now you don’t have to listen to the same 10-15 songs unless you want to.
Emergency Response
If a connected car detects that you’re been in an accident, and especially if the airbags deployed, the system can note your location via GPS and notify emergency services. While not an occurrence you enjoy thinking about, it’s something to be grateful for in the event of a crash.
Maintenance
A few companies provide connectivity-augmented vehicle maintenance apps, and one of the best is Openbay. The app, paired with an OBD2 dongle (Openbay Connect) that is plugged into your vehicle, can read check engine lights and trouble codes. Then the service can connect you to local service garages that put in bids to work on your vehicle. The whole process is made easier, and less intimidating, than scrolling through a list of repair shops on your phone while you stare at the “check engine” light illuminated on your dashboard.
The post How Connectivity Can Change the Way We Drive appeared first on Motor Trend.
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