"Smartphones have become a major part of people's lives; manufacturers are responding to that," said Kathy McMahon, senior manager of GM's info- tainment group. "Infotainment systems are one of the top five reasons people cite for purchasing a new vehicle. It's a very big deal."
Ford started this technology race with its game-changing Sync voice-recognition system in 2007. More than 50 percent of Ford buyers said Sync played an important role in their purchase.
Chrysler, General Motors, Toyota, Hyundai and others have pulled out all the stops to catch up. Their new systems aim to offer the most and best voice control and connectivity for phones and music players plus driver-friendly Web services like directions, traffic info and gas prices.
"It's a deal-breaker for some customers," said Stephanie Brinley of EMC Strategic Communications in Troy, Mich. "This is a big deal competitively. We're at the tipping point between when customers think the systems are nice to have and when they're expected."
Although automakers offer everything from voice-controlled phone dialing to Web searches for restaurants and points of interest, they walk a tightrope between customer convenience and potentially dangerous driver distraction. Multitasking may be fine for computers, but it's a bad idea behind the wheel.
"Everything we do has to be geared toward keeping people's hands on the wheel and eyes on the road," McMahon said. GM's Buick, Chevrolet and GMC brands have a new system that blends touch-screen, voice-recognition and conventional controls for navigation, audio, phone, streaming Internet audio and more. Cadillac will get a version of the system next year.
The competition is heating up big time, said Jon Bucci, vice president of advanced technology for Toyota Motor Sales. Toyota just introduced its new system, Entune. It combines voice-recognition for phone and navigation with Pandora Internet radio and Bing Web searches for businesses, phone numbers, etc.
Automakers face dual, perhaps conflicting, challenges. They must add a wide range of features without increasing the complexity of operating a car.
Just saying no isn't an option, as much as some purists in the battle against driver distraction wish otherwise. Smartphone sales around the world should hit 500 million this year, and people don't stop using the devices in the car. Nearly three-quarters of car shoppers say they want Internet connectivity in their vehicle.
"Your car is quickly becoming another digital device," said Joni Christensen, head of marketing for Chrysler's Uconnect system. "People expect to be able to use their entertainment and communication devices with it. Our challenge is to make it simple so the vehicle remains the center of their attention. Driving is paramount. Everything else is secondary."