Mercedes-Benz, Ford and Toyota want in on the cloud

NEW apps for phones and tablets that communicate with and analyse the performance of cars were available overseas last year.

smartphone

AUSTRALIA is being left behind in use of a new generation of mobile device apps that give smartphones and tablets access to the inner workings of cars.

These apps can lock a car remotely, measure its tyre pressure, set the climate control, start an electric recharge and adapt a phone's voice recognition functions to operate some car functions through integrated social networking.

In addition, Mercedes-Benz, Ford and Toyota are among manufacturers who are planning cloud integration.

Concepts include uploading a car's performance data to the cloud for analysis against others of the same make.

Apps provide performance analysis and comparative performance data as well.

Sadly, Australia remains in the technology backblocks in rolling out these features, many of which became available last year in the US, Europe and Asia.

Manufacturers say some features use communications protocols that are not available in Australia, or face regulatory hurdles.

But between next year and 2015 this technology should become increasingly available, albeit slowly.

Nissan's Leaf electric car debuted in the US last year and is due in Australia around next May at a price of more than $50,000.

It links to an iPhone or Android app that enables you to check the state of the battery remotely, initiate charging, tells you when charging is complete and regulates the temperature.

Users can activate the heater and aircon in a car from home, a few minutes before travelling.

The app also estimates driving range.

BMW cars in Australia offer none of the advanced functionality available in European models but moves are afoot to introduce integration with the BMW i3 and i8 series due for launch here in the next couple of years.

BMW Australia blames Australia's communications system and local regulations for thwarting introduction of the apps.

"Currently, BMW doesn't offer any of the known app functions for our cars locally, yet they are available internationally," a company spokeswoman said.

Overseas, the My BMW app lets users unlock or lock their car, track it, adjust the climate settings, find their car in a car park and access emergency and rescue services.

But the app communicates using an SMS platform that messages between Australia and Germany, and BMW says this platform is not reliable in Australia.

It is being redeveloped for 3G.

Even so, BMW says, Australia's IT structure to support this is "non-existent".

BMW says it is restricted by Australian legislation from introducing another feature that reproduces an Apple user interface on a BMW LED in the car, including iPod music.

Choices are made from the LED using a BMW jog wheel, rather than from the mobile device directly. New apps downloaded are immediately available on the BMW's LED.

But, BMW says, Australian road and design rules dictate that drivers' aids are the only functions that can be shown on a car's screen - so Australia has been left out on safety grounds.

Mercedes-Benz Australia would not reveal the company's plans for smartphone app integration but the currently available Mercedes C and SLK classes can replicate a connected iPhone's functionality on the car's LED screen.

Google browsing is built-in.

Toyota says some of its 39 Australian models have audio platforms that connect to mobile devices via USB or the advanced audio distribution Bluetooth profile (A2DP), and availability will broaden.

There is no confirmed plan in Australia to roll out Toyota Friend, a social networking app that will be available in Japan next year, to connect cars, dealers and Toyota.

For electric cars, Toyota Friend will identify the nearest charging point, navigate there and pay for the service.

Toyota Friend includes a FourSquare-style social network for cars. Cars can send tweet-like alerts to the owner, reminding them to charge the vehicle. The car signs off: "See you tomorrow".

Australians do, however, have access to Toyota Park Smart, a relatively basic app that holds parking meter details.

Toyota globally is building a partnership with Microsoft to use its Azure cloud platform to create a global service platform by 2015.

Ford, meanwhile, says its smartphone apps interacting with vehicles will definitely be implemented in Ford cars in Australia, but this is in the future.

Drivers can get hands-free voice control of smartphone apps, and can connect to Apple, Android-based and BlackBerry smartphones.

Holden Australia says it does not have smartphone apps that interface with cars. "Of course, this is something we are looking at, and Holden will certainly be introducing the technology into future models," a spokeswoman says.