The seamless vehicle technology previewed by the Connectivity Concept may take a few years to become reality, but Hyundai's in-vehicle tech is getting incrementally more advanced. The Korean automaker announced today that it will integrate Google Maps application programming interfaces (APIs) into its U.S.-based Blue Link infotainment systems, underpinning a smoother navigational experience for drivers.
"Blue Link makes it easy for our owners to find and navigate to their destinations," said Barry Ratzlaff, director of Customer Connect at Hyundai Motor America, in a press release. "The integration of Google Maps APIs makes Blue Link even more effective."
By leveraging Google's APIs, Hyundai will be able to offer new and enhanced features in vehicles equipped with Blue Link. These features include "Send to Car," which allows users to quickly send a destination to Blue Link from a computer or mobile device, along with Local Search by Voice and Point of Interest Search. Blue Link will gain access to Google's continuously updated "Places" database.
Hyundai launched the Blue Link system in 2011. The infotainment system currently supports more than 30 applications, including roadside emergency assistance, remote start, voice-based destination search and voice text messaging.
Hyundai will showcase Blue Link's latest features at the Consumer Electronics Show next week.
Source: Hyundai
While it might be a nice income stream for satellite navigation companies to make even more money from selling updates to maps, it is not ethical. Their devices are intended to facilitate travel from one place to another. The more up-to-date a map is, the better it will facilitate that travel and so maps should be free. Indeed, maps should be issued and updated on a real-time basis by the government (in its widest sense). Let’s call it the Travel Agency, not Google, or who ever. If a road accident occurs and causes a delay, then the government agency responsible for monitoring the situation should add the obstruction to the map and issue it to an updating system (and delete it when the road is clear again) so that all cars in the vicinity, and those that according to their satnav system are due to travel in the vicinity, their onboard satnav equipment can take the incident/accident into consideration and re-plan their route accordingly. There is no technical reason why maps should not be updated in real-time on a cellular basis as the vehicle progresses on its journey in much the same way that mobile (a.k.a. cell) ‘phones update their data as the ‘phone moves from place to place along with its owner. No intentional modification to traffic flow (entertainment events, roadworks etc.) and or alteration to the road system (new roads, planned diversions etc.) should be authorised unless it has been included in the Travel Agency mapping data. Satnavs would be vastly improved if cars were to include movement monitoring (wheel rotation, front wheel turn angle etc.) so that the satnav knows reasonably well where the vehicle is should the signal be lost, or the damn thing reboots for no apparent reason - again, and again, and again! (said with feeling).
We recently replaced one of the cars with an SUV and looked at a whole bunch of vehicles in the process. I looked at a used 2009 or 2010 Lincoln with a display/GPS in the console and I was floored at how antique the slightly dated computer made the vehicle seem.
The inside felt more dated than even my 2004 that doesn't have a built in GPS because the manual controls age waaay better than the computer in the Lincoln.
The onboard computers/displays we are putting in vehicles now (no matter how advanced) will still be badly dated in 4 or 5 years when the rest of the technology in the vehicle is fine for at least 15 years.
What manufacturers need to do is design a common form factor for their display units and the computers that power them.
Every Hyundai vehicle with a 7" display should support the same type of 7" display and the software on it is all that has to be different. This way if I bought a 2009 and the unit is antique now compared to even my cell phone I can go to the dealer and buy a 2013 unit and have them dealer install it and load the software I need.
I'm not expecting them to support BYOD or anything but a basic upgrade path that doesn't require replacing the whole automobile would be nice.