Web 2.0 isn't just making the internet a better more useful place to surf. It's also helped develop the day to day sites applications being used on a hourly basis (for most people), on devices such as the iPhone, iPad and other tablet pc's & Android phones. You know sites such as Facebook, Twitter and a variety of other sites on the social scene. The surge in interest of the social media wave has also made an impression on the traditional none-web businesses. Now it's becoming more important to at least think about introducing ways of integrating App's or using App's on the devices created by companies.
So how does this translate to car stereos and in car entertainment systems, and what services will be introduced? Well for the short term its fairly limited. There are PC systems that fit into the vehicle, however this isn't application based. However there are more and more after market car stereos are being produced with ability to integrate iPhones and other similar devices. This integration currently only extends to the use of the iPhone music & Bluetooth, however it wont be log before companies can harness the power of the iPhone and Sites like Google & other applications to perform day to day tasks while in the vehicle.
For example, there is an app available for free or a nominal fee (Skobbler) which is a navigation based app which learns as you do. For example if your driving down a road and it provides wrong info or the road has changed or maybe there are local police speed checks, you can press a few buttons and this info is uploaded to the national database for everybody to use. So the next time you drive somewhere this info will be available to you and everybody else.
This is a perfect example of how a device integrated into the stereo can provide up to date info with minimal effort. The future concept of integration is unlimited, dependent on the apps available. It could be that from a few clicks on your steering wheel you can access an app that purchases an a parking ticket for an area you wish to park, or book train / plane tickets on the way to the station / airport, Or it maybe that you just want download a new album through iTunes while your driving?
The point is as long the boom in the social web is active, there will be new ways of integrating and improving systems. Introducing new methods of making our life easier & as our vehicles are central to our lives at the minute this is an obvious place to start. Who knows where we'll be Five years down the line.
