Comment Safety Is the Issue (Score 1) 317
I work for a company that develops infotainment systems for auto manufacturers. I totally agree that I would love to have the full capability of my smart phone OS of choice at my finger tips. I would love to not have to re-learn a new UI for every car!
That said, one of the primary concerns of auto-makers when it comes to UI is safety and driver distraction. This is a big deal because as of today there are relatively light government restrictions on what can be done in a vehicle, and the auto makers want to keep it that way. To do this they try to be self policing. Simply mirroring a smart phone screen onto a larger in-vehicle display relinquishes too much control and allows end users to do things that can (reasonably or otherwise) be deemed unsafe while driving. I know there are apps that aim to prevent this, and there are other solutions being considered as well, but it is important to understand that this is the driving force behind independent UI designs, not just an overblown auto-manufacturer ego or cost cutting solution.
