Finnish phone maker Nokia has decided to reach beyond smartphone consumers. The company recently announced its new infotainment and connected car system called Here Auto. This system is expected to offer drivers autonomous driving and a similar experience to using smartphones and tablets in a vehicle’s dashboard.
While Nokia currently provides maps for navigation systems through Navteq group, the company is ready to expand its services to creating a sophisticated and connected car, according to Nokia EVP of Location and Commerce Michael Halbherr.
Floris Van-De-Klashorst, Here’s Connected Car VP, said, “People say they love their phones and they love their cars. But their relationship with their embedded car systems is ice cold.” Nokia’s system is intended to link vehicles to the cloud.
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So, what are some of Here Auto’s most important features? The in-dash software contains features that you can find on the Windows Phone 8 app. This includes 3D maps to real-time traffic, points of interest, street-level imaging and local business search. Van-De-Klashorst mentioned that this system will be the same app you access on your smartphone or PC browser. It will be able to save, store and sync all of your bookmarked destinations, preferred routes, contacts and preferences on all of your devices.
The company is also releasing a software development kit and set of application programming interfaces for app makers to create apps directly into the system. This can include audio streaming, Internet radio service and more entertainment apps.
Van-De-Klashorst commented that the company plans to sell automakers Here Auto just as its Navteq division sells maps to navigation systems. Automakers will be able to customize the platform, run their own developer programs and even chose what apps will make it into the dashboard.
Nokia recently expanded its Lumia smartphone range and launched its flagship 925 in the Indian market, which is among the top three markets globally for Lumia. The company had also launched Lumia 625, its largest smartphone to date.
Edited by
Alisen Downey