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For full details read VW’s Official Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apr 26, 2010

Volkswagen Invites Users to Help Create the Infotainment Systems of the Future
Open Innovation Contest, “App My Ride”, begins on 3rd May

Wolfsburg, Germany — April 26, 2010 — Volkswagen is inviting designers, programmers, developers and interested users to help develop applications for the Infotainment systems of the future as part of the Open Innovation Contest, “App My Ride”. With this contest, Volkswagen has become the first car manufacturer to use the idea of open innovation for the further development of its products.

In the so-called “App My Ride” competition, users can jointly develop new Infotainment applications with Volkswagen. A jury of experts will select the winner whose creativity will be rewarded with special prizes. “Our aim is to invite the international developer community to take part in designing a future system,” says Prof. Dr Jürgen Leohold, Head of the Volkswagen Group Research. So-called apps, also known as application programmes for certain devices which are available through an online shop, have helped to contribute to the smartphone boom. Applications designed by users (User Generated Content) are of central importance to the boom and are made available online by other users. Companies like Apple and Google successfully aid this nearly inexhaustible source of innovation.

“A quiet revolution is taking place right now,” explains Dr Johann Füller, CEO of the innovation agency partner to Volkswagen through the “App My Ride” competition, Hyve AG. “The customer-orientated culture of the internet places an enormous power in the hands of the users. Leading organisations are starting to harness this power to develop better solutions and increase their competitiveness.” Exactly what the “App My Ride” contest is targeting.

Currently a prototype for Volkswagen’s Infotainment system is being developed in which Flash applications designed by different creators can be accumulated. In order to research the potential of apps for the vehicle Infotainment system, Volkswagen is trying to produce the most varied collection of applications possible.

An “innovation community” open to all internet users will be created as of 3rd May 2010 for the competition under the following URL: app-my-ride.volkswagen.com. Here, participants in the competition can log in and either load programmed apps or send in their creative ideas for future ones. “The participants are supposed to imagine what the purpose of their ideal Infotainment system is and how it would work and now they have the opportunity to make it a reality. At the same time, you can analyse the existing apps on our platform and discuss their design, uses and purposes,” explains Dr Peter Oel, Head of “Control Designs and Drivers” of Volkswagen Group Research.

To develop an app, the participants must have the following:

• An idea for an app to be installed in a vehicle
• Graphic design of the user interface
• Programming in Adobe Flash / Flex

The purpose, design and logical construction of the app should be geared towards the possible requirements of drivers and other occupants.

The participant’s creativity will be rewarded at the end of the competition. The most innovative application will be chosen by the “App My Ride” community and a jury consisting of Volkswagen managers and external experts. Besides cash and non-cash prizes worth up to €14,000, a special prize for students will also be awarded. This involves a placement within Volkswagen Group Research in Tokyo, Shanghai, California or Wolfsburg. Moreover, the winner of the competition can also expect an exclusive trip to take part in an international vehicle presentation which covers the costs of the flight and hotel.

Video 1

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Video 2

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Stealth Computer's LPC-450FS

Check out this fanless PC built on a small form factor from Stealth Computers. Let’s see, small, rugged, fanless, 12 volts…. seems like good platform for in car computing to me!

Stealth Computers offers a lot of specialized and small form factor computers, but this one really seems to be a good choice for automotive applications.

The fanless feature is nice because you don’t have to worry about the cooling fan pulling in those dust bunnies that tend to breed under the seat and other nooks and crannies of a car.

The extruded aluminum chassis and the shock mounted 2 1/2″ hard drive is no doubt a rugged package. If you want it even more shock resistant you can get a solid state drive and have no moving parts!

I have not used or reviewed this PC but it looks promising to me. Here is a link so you can read more about the LPC-450FS unit and I have included some of the specs below:

• 12 VDC Operation, ideal for mobile/field
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• 3D Graphics with 16×9 Capability
• Built-in Gigabit LAN, USB 2.0,
• 1394a Firewire, Audio, Serial and Video Ports
• Low Profile Rugged Aluminum Chassis 6.1″(W) x 10.0″(D) x 2.17″(H)
• Slim Slot Loading Optical Drives
• Solid State Hard Drives (SSD) optional
• Windows Vista & XP Pro Compatible,
• Intel Celeron M440, 1.86GHz Processor
• 1MB Cache, 533MHz FSB
• 80 Gig HDD SATA (2.5″)
• DVD/CD-RW Drive
• 1GB RAM SO-DIMM
• On-board Video & Audio
• Standard Price: $1095

As the story goes, Simon and Steve develop an application for their BlackBerry Storm to steer a modified remote control car. They set up a make shift race track in their office and turn “another day at the office” into a RC car extravaganza. I am OK with the video so far.

Now, Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren Formula 1 team contacts Simon and Steve about their BlackBerry application. This is where I start to question if this is a fake or not.  I doubt that this car is actually being driven by the BlackBerry, but how? Maybe a midget laying on the floorboard? Maybe a real remote control, likely laptop based, sitting off camera? You watch the video and see what you think.

Mobility 2088 - Part of Honda's Power the Dream Series

Honda produced a neat documentary where the question was, “What will transportation look like in 80 years? This film is part of their “Dream the Impossible” documentary series. No doubt that digital technology will be a major player.

Honda’s “Dream the Impossible” project is a series of well produced (high dollar) documentaries that are thought provoking. You can view all  the documentaries in the highest available quality at this link.

Dream The Impossible
Documentary Series

Honda is a company founded by a dreamer. And we are a company that believes in the Power of Dreams.

Honda has a rich history of making impossible dreams come to fruition. And because the lessons of the past help guide our future, there is a simple humanity found in even our most complex products.

We wanted to document our advancement as a company through film to give you a better understanding of the people behind our products. Please join us as we uncover Honda through the candid approach of the documentary film process.

View “Mobility 2088″ in the highest quality from Honda’s site

Click here to view the embedded video.

Some of the expected features are:

• An application that could track your peregrinations and estimate your total carbon emissions.
• Remotely starting a car
• Resetting its alarm with an iPhone
• Unlocking the doors with an iPhone (commands could be sent to the car over the Internet)
• Cars equipped with blind-spot-detection video cameras could be programmed to take a picture of anyone near the car during a break-in and then e-mail it directly to a cellphone or computer.

Here is an article on this at the New York Times

Now enter Google’s open source operating system (OS), Android. While Android is often thought of as a smart phone OS, it could become a platform used to operate an entire car. A Google car? Hum… I can see it now, ads popping up everywhere!

A good article on this was posted on the Headlight Blog: Read the Full Article

Walt reviewed the unit in late 2008 and found the service to be a good solution to mobile email and web surfing but too slow to handle anything like streaming videos.

AutoNet Mobile recently partnered with Delphi in an effort to harden the design of their wireless router and to sell the technology straight to the manufacturers to use as an OEM option, not a dealer installed option.

You can read Walt’s full review on the WSJ site, here.

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