Support AppRadioWorld by shopping via these links...
***Shop Amazon.com*** or ***Shop eBay.com***

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Apple's Car Dashboard Concept Gets OK From U.S. Patent Office


A patent filed and granted at the United States Patent and Trademark Office suggests that Apple might me looking to make their own in-car dashboard. The patent filing says Apple wants to replace your entire dashboard with their own touchscreen-enabled dash which will control everything from temperature to music.

The granted patent doesn't actually mean Apple's going to make such an innovative product but the concept is quite intriguing. Imagine a dashboard, made by Apple, littered with touch screens ranging from the steering wheel to the passenger side... No more knobs!

The patent filing is under No. 8,482,535 with the patent office. The filing details the concept and if you're into reading patents (which is not easy to go through) you should head over there and dig in. Here's an excerpt from the filing…
A revolutionary form of dashboard or instrument panel results which is stylistically attractive, lower in cost, customizable by the user, programmable in both the tactile and visual sense, and with the potential of enhancing interior safety and vehicle operation. 
The dashboard will work with tactile, vocal and wireless input to control the various functions. With this of course there are various challenges that can arise. As Apple puts in the the filing these include cars being noisy, different drivers with different accents, passenger disturbance and conversation interruption. And besides there is the "sociological problem" of talking to ones car!

Apple files many such patents each year and majority of them never end up into actual consumer products. This may well be one of those that doesn't. But whether we see an 'iDashboard' or not the car-entertainment market could use some healthy competition from one of the most successful tech companies in the world.

1 comment :

  1. Why don't they just make an aftermarket stereo. A lot easier and cheaper with a bigger demographic

    ReplyDelete

All comments will be screened for spam. Allow up to 24 hours for comments to show up.

NO SPAM PLEASE!