Driving the Mobile Experience

Not all automotive apps are created equal – nor should they be.

The best automotive apps provide value to users through features that enhance experiences. The features and functionality of apps in a Dodge should be very different from those in a Mercedes because of the different needs of the drivers and the brand’s expression.

For auto manufacturers, understanding who their target demographic is, what those consumers’ needs are and creating apps that allow car owners to easily do the things that matter in their lives are all a big part of moving car connectivity forward.

Getting to that point requires a better understanding of the challenges facing the industry. It also requires a working familiarity with the ideas and technologies that offer the best hope for a future where mobile/auto connectivity provides an immersive user experience.

Here are some ways that automakers can – and probably already are – working to get to that point.

Accept the Challenge

Creating great apps and connecting with consumers doesn’t just happen.

In the auto industry especially, where organizations have spent generations mastering things like design, powertrain and interiors, mobile technology requires a different mindset and skill set.

Creating user-friendly apps for connected cars requires mastering not only new technologies, but also understanding what users are looking for.

Because the typical automaker works on a 5-year product cycle, keeping up with emerging tech means treating cars more like a consumer electronics product.

When the iPhone came out, it fundamentally changed user expectations about technology. If you purchase the hardware, you get software updates for free.

Consumers have become accustomed to that framework. They expect it. Sometimes they demand it. For cars to truly evolve into consumer electronic products, they need be treated like a living, breathing, evolving thing, not just another component.

There are obviously significant technical and engineering differences between a smartphone and a car. That said, consumer expectations have changed dramatically.

Today, if cars can’t update their tech every six to 12 months, they feel obsolete. Tesla, with its frequent software updates, offers one example of what that kind of evolution looks like.

Change the Game

Great apps add value for users. They are more than just fringe benefits or minor conveniences; they are difference-makers.

Going from perk to game-changer not only makes the apps (and the vehicles) more appealing, it also makes it easier to translate that appeal into dollars. The idea of a subscription-based pay-per-month service has been brought up before, but for that to work, the apps in question have to feel worth it for consumers.

Designing a great app often requires spending less time thinking about what consumers are looking for.

It might seem counterintuitive, but it makes more sense to take the opposite approach: give them something compelling, and then watch them realize how badly they want it. Many of the most popular apps and tech innovations today were not the result of deep public demand, but rather a flash of inspiration and a public suddenly hungry for something they never even knew they needed.

It takes both creativity and experimentation to zero in on those innovations. Once automakers have mastered the technology, the next step is to engage in that kind of exploratory trial and error, typically with the assistance of an experienced app developer with a track record of innovation.

Be a Model Student

One intriguing concept in car connectivity is to match app features to the car.

For hybrid drivers, for example, a fuel efficiency app makes sense. A convertible that doesn’t get driven in the winter probably doesn’t need a remote start. For Jeep Wranglers, a successful app might point to nearby off-road trails or connect with other Jeep owners looking to share tips on great destination.

And, for a Jaguar owner, perhaps an app that offers a valet mode with the ability to view your car remotely on a smartphone and make sure it is being taken care of would be attractive.

Automakers can integrate their brands into the customer’s lifestyle by enhancing their experience. But that is only possible if that lifestyle plays a role in guiding the design of the app itself.

None of this will happen overnight. Enhancing mobile-auto connectivity requires a significant investment. Good ideas must be followed by a meaningful commitment to change the way technology is developed and implemented.

When done well, however, the potential is enormous. The right app can make a car feel like it’s worth more than it actually is. This adds real and lasting value not only to the vehicle, but also to the brand.

Just like the iPhone has become so much more than a phone, the connected cars of tomorrow can be so much more than just a ride.

Dan Ward serves as co-founder of Detroit Labs, a Detroit-based mobile development company and maker of iPhone, iPad, Android and vehicle apps.