All cars will ‘have mobile technology by 2025′, that’s the claim from GSMA, the trade organisation that represents the mobile phone industry.

Of course, it’s not so that we can all play Angry Birds whilst driving…the foremost reason for the move is safety. So-called ‘connected cars’ will automatically alert the emergency services if you’re involved in a crash, immediately providing them the location too. The European Commission have said that all new cars should have the automatic emergency services call feature, known as eCall, by October 2015.

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With such technology about to become available in so many cars, it’s a great opportunity to start exploring the possibilities of mobile apps suitable for use in cars. It’s expected that the new technology will provide live traffic information, access to social networks, music streaming, and news and weather updates, but there must surely be more revolutionary possibilities too…

Imagine a world where you could order your food shop online, hands-free, whilst driving or even an app which will tell you local attractions and events nearby which may be of interest.

Getting into the right mind set will be key when it comes to developing apps for use in cars, many solutions will involve smartphone integration, so the app would need to be functional when a smartphone is being used normally and also when it is being used via the cars integration too. Voice control will obviously be essential in most cases, something that is currently not common in mobile apps.
However, the pros are vast. The commuter market is already a very rewarding area for mobile app development; with many smartphone users using their phones the most during rush-hour. Obviously the law means this is limited to those who use public transport, but with the new technology we could see those stuck in traffic able to legally use mobile apps via the interface.

GSMA chief marketing officer Michael O’Hara said: “Embedding mobile technology in cars will not only save lives, but also drive a range of new services and provide a significant revenue opportunity for the mobile and automotive industries.

The company believes the value of the connected car market will triple from €13 billion (£12) last year to €40 billion (£34bn) in 2018.