The networked car - APIs in the automobile industry

In addition to home and workplace, the car has been developing into the third living space for some time now. There are few scenarios in which modern man spends more time. Accordingly, many areas of everyday life are gradually being transferred to the car. Only the consistent networking of the car with its environment, as made possible by the use of APIs, makes this expansion of the usage profile in the mobile vehicle possible.

Telephoning in the car as the only means of networked communication is no longer sufficient for most users. The possibilities of handling professional and private affairs while driving are far too important for modern lifestyles. The topic is so important to drivers that, according to a study by McKinsey Management Consultants in 2015, 37 percent of participants would even accept a change of brand in order to use a well-networked car. The rate of increase is particularly striking: in the previous year 2014, only 20 percent of respondents said so.

According to a study by Microsoft, the design departments of automobile manufacturers today occupy a leading position among the developers of API implementations in motor vehicles. The application spectrum lies in all areas of automobile technology.

Apps on mobile devices in particular will determine the future of API development. This starts with the purchase, to configure the tailor-made car on the smartphone or tablet in every detail. Car manufacturers assume that these comfortable user environments made possible by APIs will promote brand loyalty and customer retention in particular.

The Internet of Things is particularly important in the automobile industry for the consistent use of APIs. The link between manufacturer, dealer and supplier scores particularly well here. This leads to a wide variety of application scenarios.

An assistance system controlled via an API can keep the digital map material of the navigation system up to date in real time, including any changes in the course of the road, current obstacles caused by construction sites or traffic jams caused by traffic accidents. This allows dynamic route planning based on real-time data.

A number of sensors, which are integrated into relevant components and functional groups, transmit their findings to the manufacturer via API. Detected problems bring twofold benefits: On the one hand, the driver has the chance to prevent the damage that has not yet occurred in advance. On the other hand, the incoming information supports the manufacturer in making design improvements to the vehicle in the event of an accumulation of similar problem messages.

The driver has access to numerous functions and information via an app, regardless of whether the current location is in the car or not:

Forgot to lock the door? Using the app, the current status can be determined conveniently from the sofa and the lock can be adjusted.

Do you need to refuel tomorrow? A glance at the API-controlled fuel gauge allows you to read the current fuel level - and the oil level - at the same time.

How far does the residual charge in the battery of the electric car last? The information is immediately available via the app, with an estimate of the possible remaining kilometres.

These are just a few examples of networked data communication. Other applications include the networked logbook and information on when the next inspection is due.

The range of functions that can be applied via API is constantly growing. Already today, car apps allow the user to locate the nearest parking space or the vehicle parked in a foreign environment. The search for the nearest petrol station is also standard in many vehicles today, as is navigation to special destinations, from gourmet restaurants to ATMs and hospitals.

But this is only the beginning. First applications for restaurant reservations or hotel and flight bookings show where the journey is going. APIs as the underlying technology will enable solutions in the future that nobody thinks about today.

The car is no longer just a means of transport. As an essential living environment, it will support a constantly increasing number of professional and private activities. The factors of safety, location-independent information exchange and real-time communication are of particular importance. The car thus becomes a central control centre for private and professional life.