Not long after Mercedes-Benz released an app for the Pebble watch and Nissan announced their own Nismo smartwatch at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Hyundai announced that it would integrate Google Glass in the 2015 model of Genesis.
Wearable tech is about more than just call or text notifications and fitness tracking. We should be able to integrate smartwatches and smart glasses with all the electronic devices that we know. If smartwatch makers follow Pebble’s example and launch an SDK on which people can develop apps to their liking, such an thing would not be impossible. Hyundai plans to launch a smartphone app called Blue Link Glassware that will later be adjusted to work with Google Glass.
Barry Ratzlaff, executive director, Customer Connect and Service Business Development, Hyundai Motor America, explained how wearables could change our lives: “We see wearables as a technology trend, expanding from fitness and health monitoring to broader applications. As a leader in connected car technology, we’re always exploring new ways to use technology to enhance the ownership experience for our customers.”
The Blue Link Glassware app will offer access to the Blue Link features of Hyundai Genesis, as well as to Car Care services. I assume that the automaker has in mind something in the lines of the AR apps that Volkswagen and Audi developed for their cars.
Come to think of it, maybe it’s better to wear smart glasses when driving rather than smartwatches, as the latter could distract the driver, even if just for a split second. On top of that, troubleshooting a car using Google Glass would be much easier than using the smartphone and AR apps.
Above is the 2015 Hyundai Genesis, whose launch will coincide with the one of the Blue Link Glassware application. Personally, I’m glad to see that Google’s piece of wearable tech gets this kind of attention. Automakers will undoubtedly try to counter this by releasing their own apps for wearables, as everyone tries to catch the attention of potential customers. Sometime in the future, maybe smartwatches and smart glasses will help us unlock our cars and start the motor without any keys. Till then, we’ll have navigation right in front of our eyes, along with useful features that will make driving an even more pleasant experience.
If you liked this post, please check the Android-based infotainment system that Google and Audi are putting together and the Apple Siri Eyes Free-packed Opel Adam.
