Old MathJax webview

Old MathJax webview

Read and evaluate the case study titled Automakers Become Software Companies. Then develop solutions to the questions shown below

2. Carry out research online and then describe two in-car technologies used by BMW drivers in new cars today.

Read and evaluate the case study titled Automakers Become Software Companies. Then develop solutions to the questions shown below.

Question 1 Carry out research online and then describe two in-car technologies used by BMW drivers in new cars today? (You must correctly reference any external sources cited)

INTERACTIVE SESSION: TECHNOLOGY AUTOMAKERS BECOME SOFTWARE COMPANIES Ax the marphone market continues to expand transportation methods, and to do this, cars need and initiatives likomart electric grids continue to to be equipped with software that can monitor and pick up steam another industry has begun getting enhance vehicle function at the most basic levels "smart" with awe and apps the automo The eventual system would require that can feed bile industry. Font, BMW, and other automobile Increasing amounts of information to systems companies are enhancing their vehicles with on whose purpose would be to minimize highway con- board software that improves the stomer experie gestion. The system would also require an industry ence, and the autos industry is working on technology standard, which does not exist as of yet. Ford has that will allow cars to be managed in the cloud doubled its investment in vehicle-to-vehicle com Automakers are finding that software is a way of munication technologies and BMW is also conting adding more value and freshness to their prod ing to develop ways for vehicles to communicate ucts without having to invest so heavily in new with one another on the road to avoid collisions vehicle production. It takes Font Motor Company With the inclusion of software in their care for example, about two and one half years to plan, automakers are entering uncharted territory. They desten, and build a new car, Design and production must now dewote resources to updating and testing including metal stamping equipment and assembly their software, as well as establishing ways to Inne setup, must be malted long before the cat provide the updated software to the customer rolls of the line at the stomak can create Car companies need to coordinate their car devel a new software interface for a car within months opment cycles more closely with their software and update it again ind again over the life of the development cycles. Also, many of the technolo- car without much lead time. This cables Ford and les included in Automobile soare packages are other stomakers to significantly improve the pas the same privacy concerns surrounding location senger experience and add new friatures to cart tracking that have often plagued smartphone man years after they are built ufacturers and app developers Ford is perhaps the automaker doing the most Ford a grappling with the best way to roll out to innovate with software and apps. Its My Ford software upgrades to its customers. The company Touch interface is an in-dash touch screen avail has been mailing USB stick to 250,000 customers able for select vehicles with controls for navigation whose cars have an advanced touch screen music, phone integration, and temperature. Ford control panel running the My Ford Touch interface. has upesaded this interface and the Sync software The stick contains a software upgrade that will behind the interface adding tablet and smartphone Improve navigation control the music and phone Integration and better volontesponse. In 2010, Fond features, well as the ability to control carte added support for the online music streaming perature. The spirade also contains code that will Vice Pandora, which is very popular among young upgrade system speed and improve the interface potential buyers. This update enables drivers to based on common criticism from Ford Owners connect their tablets and smartphone to the Sync Although Fondays it plans to continue issuing system to male and other apps using voice software upgrade this way, the company bopea commands that customers will get into the habit of check Chairman till Ford Ir. has championed the ing the Ford Website for software upgrades on time of software to alleviate urban congestion their own. Though most car owners are used to by investing in technology that responds to the the technology in their cars remaining constant problems created by traffic in the bigest cities throughout the life of the car, newer cars are posed Theoretically, technology might belp cars to avoid to change all of that traffic jams, to reserve parking spaces in advance, Ford has hired human-machine Interface encl- and possibly to even drive themselves neer whose job is to analyze their customers To manage vehicles in this way, cars teed to be interact with the software in their car. Often, these connected to some kind of central system, which engineers use customer feedback to make changes would coordinate with public transit and other to the software Customers complained that too Chapter 3 Information System, Organization, Strategy 135 > much information was available on each screen of the interface, so Ford moved the most commonly used foatures to more prominent positions on screen and increased their fonts telegating the most to submenu Feedback has been positive. Ford has also asked dealers to dedicate more time and personnel to hands-on technology training to help customers master its interface GM Daimler, and other companies are all developing new features for their cars that operate online in the cloud Users will be able to remotely track their cars you'll never forget where you parked again and diagnose problems with the air like low tire pressure or the need for an oil change Corporations will be able to track employer use of company cars by interpreting car som and engine readouts Manufacturers will be able to aggregate and analyze the data from customers cars to identify quality problems and, if necer sary, quickly recall us as with apps, the possibilities are limited only by the imagination of automaten GM will allow its app developers to access its computer systems to improve app function, which is a familiar set of privacy concerns Auto analysts believe that automaker will make mistakes as they learn how to properly handle sensitive customer data and to provide robust privacy options. On the other hand, automak- ers are hoping that younger customers who have own up using Facebook are likely to care shout privacy, and features that collect highly targeted Information about a car's location and driving habits BMW is also investing a whopping 5100 million in mobile apps hoping to market them to their customers premium services. Some analysts are skeptical of the decision to invent that much money, but BMW believes that mobile apps will hecome an increasingly attractive selling point for customers of BMWi electric and hybrid cams Although the future of cars sharing information with other nearby cars is still years away, wutomak. en are excited by the possibilities afforded by smart software and apps Stan Smp p 10 Th Get Thu Will Barat, Jan 12, 2 chei Murphy, Wy Punta at Noen artean Web July 2 Missing Gala with the ball 2011, Jep White How Driven Ed. Titor to Decide High Tech Dubbed, The Wall Journal May 2013, Chris Murphy Teed sova Sot Company. We Normand-Why Suddenly Live Mobile Apps Wirk Marts 2 a 2.200 Check Strand Smart Aps The Dashboard MA INTERACTIVE SESSION: TECHNOLOGY AUTOMAKERS BECOME SOFTWARE COMPANIES As the smartphone market continues to expand transportation methods, and to do this, cars need and initiatives like smart electric grids continue to to be equipped with software that can monitor and pick up steam, another industry has begun getting enhance vehicle function at the most basic levels. "smarter" with software and apps: the automo- The eventual system would require that cars feed bile industry. Ford, BMW, and other automobile increasing amounts of information to systems companies are enhancing their vehicles with on- whose purpose would be to minimize highway con- board software that improves the customer experi- gestion. The system would also require an industry ence, and the auto industry is working on technology standard, which does not exist as of yet. Ford has that will allow cars to be managed via the cloud. doubled its investment in vehicle-to-vehicle com- Automakers are finding that software is a way of munication technologies and BMW is also continu- adding more "value" and freshness to their prod- ing to develop ways for vehicles to communicate ucts without having to invest so heavily in new with one another on the road to avoid collisions. vehicle production. It takes Ford Motor Company, With the inclusion of software in their cars, for example, about two and one-half years to plan, automakers are entering uncharted territory. They design, and build a new car. Design and production, must now devote resources to updating and testing including metal stamping equipment and assembly their software, as well as establishing ways to line setup, must be finalized long before the car provide the updated software to their customers. rolls off the line. But the auto makers can create Car companies need to coordinate their car devel- a new software interface for a car within months opment cycles more closely with their software and update it again and again over the life of the development cycles. Also, many of the technolo- car without much lead time. This enables Ford and gies included in automobile software packages raise other automakers to significantly improve the pas- the same privacy concerns surrounding location senger experience and add new features to cars tracking that have often plagued smartphone man- years after they are built. ufacturers and app developers. Ford is perhaps the automaker doing the most Ford is grappling with the best way to roll out to innovate with software and apps. Its My Ford software upgrades to its customers. The company Touch interface is an in-dash touch screen avail- has been mailing USB sticks to 250,000 customers able for select vehicles with controls for navigation, whose cars have an advanced touch screen music, phone integration, and temperature. Ford control panel running the My Ford Touch interface. has upgraded this interface and the Sync software The stick contains a software upgrade that will behind the interface, adding tablet and smartphone improve navigation controls, the music and phone integration and better voice response. In 2010, Ford features, as well as the ability to control car tem- added support for the online music streaming ser- perature. The upgrade also contains code that will vice Pandora, which is very popular among young upgrade system speed and improve the interface potential buyers. This update enables drivers to based on common criticisms from Ford owners. connect their tablets and smartphones to the Syng Although Ford says it plans to continue issuing system to access music and other apps using voice software upgrades this way, the company hopes commands that customers will get into the habit of check- Chairman Bill Ford Jr. has championed the ing the Ford Web site for software upgrades on use of software to alleviate urban congestion their own. Though most car owners are used to by investing in technology that responds to the the technology in their cars remaining constant problems created by traffic in the biggest cities. throughout the life of the car, newer cars are poised Theoretically, technology might help cars to avoid to change all of that traffic jams, to reserve parking spaces in advance, Ford has hired 'human-machine interface engi- and possibly to even drive themselves. neers, whose job is to analyze how their customers To manage vehicles in this way, cars need to be interact with the software in their cars. Often, these connected to some kind of central system, which engineers use customer feedback to make changes would coordinate with public transit and other to the software. Customers complained that too Chapter 3 Information Systems, Organizations, and Strategy 135 much information was available on each screen of the interface, so Ford moved the most commonly used features to more prominent positions on screen and increased their font size, relegating the rest to submenus. Feedback has been positive. Ford has also asked dealers to dedicate more time and personnel to hands-on technology training to help customers master its interface. GM, Daimler, and other companies are all developing new features for their cars that operate online in the cloud. Users will be able to remotely track their cars (you'll never forget where you parked again) and diagnose problems with the car, like low tire pressure or the need for an oil change. Corporations will be able to track employee use of company cars by interpreting car sensors and engine readouts. Manufacturers will be able to aggregate and analyze the data from customers cars to identify quality problems and, if neces- sary, quickly issue recalls. Just as with apps, the possibilities are limited only by the imagination of automakers. GM will allow its app developers to access its computer systems to improve app function, which raises a familiar set of privacy concerns. Auto analysts believe that automakers will make mistakes as they learn how to properly handle sensitive customer data and to provide robust privacy options. On the other hand, automak. ers are hoping that younger customers who have grown up using Facebook are less likely to care about privacy, and features that collect highly targeted information about a car's location and driving habits BMW is also investing a whopping $100 million in mobile apps, hoping to market them to their customers as "premium services." Some analysts are skeptical of the decision to invest that much money, but BMW believes that mobile apps will become an increasingly attractive selling point for customers of its BMWi electric and hybrid cars. Although the future of cars sharing information with other nearby cars is still years away, automak- ers are excited by the possibilities afforded by smart software and apps. Sources: lan Sherr, "Cars Pump Up IQ To Get Edge, The Wall Street Journal, January 13, 2012, Chris Murphy, "4 Ways Ford Is Exploring Next-Gen Car Tech, Information Week, July 27, 2012; Mike Ramsay, "Avoiding Gridlock with Smart Autos, The Wall Street Journal, February 27, 2012; Joseph B White, "New Driver's Ed: Tutors to Decode High-Tech Dashboards." The Wall Street Journal, May 8, 2012; Chris Murphy, Ford is Now a Software Company," Information Week, November 28, 2011 and "Why BMW Suddenly Loves Mobile Apps," Information Weck, March 2, 2011; and Chuck Squatriglia, "Ford Brings SmartPhone Apps to Your Dashboard, Wired, April 20, 2010