At CES, Car as Platform Emerges

By Cynthia Herbert :: 8:29 PM

At the tech mecca that is CES this week, there were some new additions to the tried and true lineup of silicon greats. Car companies flocked to Las Vegas in droves to showcase new connected car technology.

Many big name automakers had a presence at CES this past week, including Chrysler, Ford, Audi, Hyundai and Kia.

Earlier this week, Ford Motor Company announced that it was opening its mobile appsplatform for SYNC-enabled vehicles to developers.

Developers who want their apps to work with AppLink and Ford’s SYNC can register for access to the AppLink software developer kit. The SDK includes code libraries and documentation for the APIs that enable communication between apps and the vehicle including voice directions from the driver.

“Since launching AppLink, we’ve worked with developers ranging from a two-man startup at Roximity to large organizations like National Public Radio and Major League Baseball,” Julius Marchwicki, global product manager for Ford SYNC said in a press release.

In addition to the availability of the SDK, Ford also announced a number of new partners for AppLink, including media companies like The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Weibo.com, and music providers like Aha Radio, Rhapsody, and Amazon Cloud Player.

The car is a popular coming platform for app because of the huge potential for advertising to a captive audience. Drivers spend around two hours per day, on average, in their cars. Many advertisers are particularly interested in exploring location-based advertising solutions behind the wheel.