(c)iStock.com/Justin Horrocks

Bosch has developed a new cloud-based driver warning system that alerts drivers within seconds if they are going in the wrong direction.

The system was designed in response to a study that found that nearly one-third of all wrong-way accidents took place within 500 metres of the vehicle entering the incorrect lane.

Conventional radio broadcasts often take minutes to warn the driver, which may often prove too late to prevent an accident. The new cloud-based warning system, on the...

(Image Credit: Google)

A new tool has been released for Google’s connected car platform called Desktop Head Unit (DHU) which emulates a car dashboard running Android Auto for testing purposes. 

Instead of forking-out cold hard cash for an expensive head unit, all developers need to do is connect their Android device to a computer and the mobile device will think it's connected to a physical car. This allows developers to see how their...

(c)iStock.com/dexter_s

Europe’s largest premium car service Addison Lee has now launched its API allowing customers, partners and affiliates the ability to integrate Addison Lee booking and related services into any website or application.

The move follows the news earlier this summer that it was partnering with MuleSoft to use its integration platform Anypoint to help the company deliver...

(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/Stefan Weichelt)

Mojio and its closest rival, Automatic, saw the gap in the market for transforming drivers' current vehicles into connected cars and stepped-in to offer their own adapters in the $100 - $149 region which feeds data from the OBD port available in most cars since 1996. 

Of course ecosystems only thrive with a...

Picture credit: Addison Lee

Europe’s largest premium car service Addison Lee is partnering with MuleSoft to use its integration platform to help the company deliver its mobile application in 350 locations worldwide, as well as speeding up the technology integration of its network of private car fleets worldwide.

Addison Lee will use MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform, a complete solution for API-led connectivity that has already allowed Addison Lee to take advantage of the platform through the creation...

(Image Credit: TomTom)

We might be entering the era of driverless cars, but for the time being the majority of us will remain in control which means the only errors we can blame are our own. This is where TomTom wants to step-in and help prevent our human mistakes from occuring with an innovative connected car application.

TomTom's system allows for a more-detailed look at driving performance

Dubbed TomTom CURFER, the new technology provides real-time feedback on the...

Whilst Apple and Google fight for control of your new vehicle, one company has been enabling any car made in the past 15 years to become smart. Automatic launched a $100 Bluetooth-enabled car adapter two years ago which connects to your smartphone and provides a whole bunch of useful insights - but has now launched its own app store for cars.

Previously you could use the app for things such as tracking your trips, monitoring fuel consumption, locating your parking spot, and finding out what fault lights...

(c)iStock.com/JasonDoiy

Google has made a series of announcements related to connected car tech, but at two different levels. On the one hand, the search giant has announced hopes its self-driving cars will gain official release within five years, while elsewhere the Android Auto app has been announced, which lets users interact with their smartphones more safely when on the road.

You’ll need a little bit more than just the app to get started with Android Auto, however; users will need an Android 5.0 or...

Visa, Pizza Hut and Accenture are to collaborate on a proof-of-concept connected car that will be used to test commerce possibilities when drivers are out and about.

The concept will bring together several technologies, including Visa Checkout, mobile connectivity, Bluetooth and iBeacon, so that staff will be alerted when a customer has arrived to collect their pizza.

Takeaway food might be the initial focus of the tests, but the trio of companies have visions of their technology being adopted for everyday...

©iStock.com/energyy

The Hella group has released details of a new system called the Intelligent Damage Detection System that is capable of detecting scratches and dents as they happen.

Depending on the specification, anything from two to 12 sensors are positioned through a car’s body panels. A central control panel is able to detect a pressure being applied to the panel and then decide whether it is rain or something far less innocuous like a scratch.

Taxi app Uber has revealed its intention to build the Uber Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburg, after announcing a strategic partnership with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).

In a blog post on Uber’s site, the firm revealed that its primary focus would be in “mapping and vehicle safety and autonomy technology”. The company clearly sees driverless as the next big evolution of its product.

Uber’s plans appear to be in direct competition with Google’s own autonomous vehicle...

As the doors closed at the Las Vegas Convention Centre and its countless exhibitors tidied away their wares, it is clear that the connected car is at the forefront of the most compelling developments in the technology industry.

Technology firms have earmarked automotive as a sizable growth area and are investing heavily in developing products for car manufacturers to implement in one or all of their models.

Nuance, a company best known for its voice-transcribing software for desktop PCs, is a prime example of this strategy...

©iStock.com/Greyfebruary

There is a lot of talk about software revolutionising the automotive industry and the conversation is growing because of how software management will impact the whole business of recalls.

The outrageous amount of good money going after bad is the reason why car manufacturers and tier one suppliers are looking for an optimised and alternative way to reduce the amount of time it takes to deliver a software update, reducing the cost associated with recalls and improving customer...

According to Reuters, Google is preparing to put a full-version of Android in the car which wouldn't require the user to plug in their smartphone. Google's current automotive initiative, Android Auto, acts as an extension of the smartphone to provide easy access to functions in a driver-friendly HUD which reduces potential distractions.

This is limited as not only does it require the driver to own a smartphone, but apps are mirrored on the display rather than running native. Apps for Android Auto must fit into strict...

©iStock.com/Prykhodov 

It has been a big year for connected cars. Automakers, handset vendors, app developers and aftermarket CE manufacturers have graduated from a primary education in the best ways to support car and smartphone connectivity. There is now a solid outline of what the future body of connected driving will look like.

As the anatomy fills out, we have learned some critical lessons. Most importantly, smartphones are without question the brain of the connected car organism. They have the...

Picture credit: Audi

German manufacturer Audi has announced Audi unite, a way for friends colleagues or neighbours to share the use of their car using an interactive app.

With the help of digital design house Kram/Weisshaar, Audi is hoping to give people a more economical way to use its cars. An app lets up to four drivers make car reservations, while a personalised beacon makes it possible for the vehicle to recognise each driver.

The app also communicates with the vehicle to show drivers the location of the...

US Car manufacturer Ford has announced Sync 3, the latest edition of its communications and entertainment system.

Ford’s new system signals a switch in allegiance too, with the company dispensing with Microsoft Auto and opting for BlackBerry’s QNX platform instead. Early signs suggest that it has been a good move for the car manufacturer.

Prior to Sync 3, Ford’s earlier attempts at touch-screen infotainment left a little to be desired. Problems ranged from minor bugs to sporadic hard resets...

Picture credit: Jaguar Land Rover

Manufacturer of 4x4 vehicles and luxury saloons Jaguar Land Rover has unleashed justDrive, a new infotainment and connectivity platform.

Instead of opting for one of the more renowned operating systems, Jaguar has chosen Silicon Valley-based CloudCar to base its platform on. Jaguar has optimised justDrive for CloudCar’s InControl platform, which will support Apple iOS 8 and Android mobile phones.

When asked by Connected Car Tech about the reasoning behind Jaguar’s...

Picture credit: Land Rover MENA

In-car technology must have an element of simplicity to it or consumers will opt against buying a car they originally liked the look of.

The importance of technology to a consumer’s purchasing decision was revealed by Harris Poll on behalf of AutoTrader.com, which said that 48%...

Picture credit: Atmel

Manufacturer of microcontrollers and touch solutions, Atmel, has unveiled a raft of technology concepts that it hopes will disrupt the connected car ecosystem.

Atmel has been working on a product it is calling AvantCar, an automotive centre console with curved touch screens. The concept makes use of the company’s sensor and processing solutions, Sense, maXTouch and QTouch along with its 8-bit AVR MCU technologies.

Focusing on car access, Atmel has shone some light on passive entry...