BMW’s 2009 cars (except the X3) will be sporting Google. BMW cars featuring the company’s BMW Assist service and navigation system will have in-dash access to Google Maps over AT&T’s Mobile GSM network. Access to the service costs owners US$199/year.
The system even integrates with hands-free calling systems. Pretty cool: search for the location, get directions, and then call your destination all without leaving the road!
While this isn’t quite a traditional GPS (thought it uses GPS, of course), it shows the possibilities of web-connected information appliances in the dashboard. After all, if the system offers maps and directions delivered over the web, using the right software and content platform, it could also deliver all kinds of other web content, including sports scores, weather, and photos (though it would need something faster the GPRS data to deliver big files).
Tip of the hat to Engadget
On InformationAppliance: Google in Your BMW | Digital Picture Frames wrote at October 4th, 2008 at 6:18 am
[...] Today on InformationAppliance.com: Google and BMW have teamed up to add Google Maps to the BMW Assist navigation system, demonstrating the further possibilities for using GPS devices as in-car computing platforms. After all, if the car already runs Google, why can’t it run other web-connected apps … read more [...]