Toyota and Ford are looking to collaborate on a connected-car infotainment system, as both car manufacturers are looking to take back control of the dashboard from technology companies such as Apple and Google.
Engineers from Toyota will be exploring how to develop an open-source iteration of the AppLink infotainment system of Ford, revealing the willingness of competing automobile companies to work together to attract tech-savvy customers.
It has become increasingly important for car buyers to purchase vehicles that will allow them to integrate their smartphones and other mobile devices into their cars, and Toyota and Ford are willing to work together to please such customers.
Toyota's connected cars are currently using a system that is named Entune, but the Japanese car company is mulling the adoption of SDL, or the Smart Device Link platform, which is the open-source iteration of the AppLink system of Ford.
AppLink, in combination with the new Sync infotainment system that Ford will release this summer in the new Escape and Fiesta models, will allow customers to use their smartphones or issue voice commands to interact with apps displayed on the touchscreen inside the vehicle.
The SDL project is managed by Livio, which is a unit of Ford. The software provides app developers with access to controls within the vehicle such as the display screens and the voice recognition system, with the capability for voice commands seen as a vital component in ensuring that drivers keep both hands on the steering wheel.
A variety of car manufacturers, including luxury brands such as Ferrari and Audi, are looking to release connected cars by including Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which are the in-car platforms for infotainment by Apple and Google, respectively. In vehicles with these systems in place, customers can simply connect their iOS or Android smartphones to the dashboard of the vehicle to begin operating the in-car system.
Ford, despite its investments in its own infotainment platform, has revealed that all its models will be compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto by the end of next year.
"At Ford, we view all aspects of time behind the wheel as core to the experience we provide customers," said director of Ford connected vehicles Don Butler, adding that the company is looking forward to drive more support for SDL developers.
According to Shigeki Terashi, the quick evolution of in-car systems is making the development of "robust, flexible, safe and user-friendly" connected car services a priority.
