Ford, Toyota ally to counter Silicon Valley in dashboard war

By Joseph White
LAS VEGAS, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp 7203.T and
Ford Motor (N:F) Co F.N said on Monday they will adopt the same
software to link smartphone apps to vehicle dashboard screens
and invited other automakers to join them to counter Apple Inc
AAPL.O and Google's push to control cars of the future.
Toyota, the world's largest automaker by vehicle sales, and
Ford, the No. 2 U.S. automaker, said they will adopt a
Ford-developed software called SmartDeviceLink, or SDL, as the
standard for connecting smartphone apps to vehicle dashboard
screens.
SDL technology integrates smartphones apps with vehicles
through dashboard buttons, display screens and voice recognition
technology. Using it as a standard for projecting navigation or
music streaming apps from a driver's smartphone could help Ford
and Toyota reduce dependence on Apple or Alphabet Inc's
GOOGL.O Google, company officials said.
It could also keep tighter control of customer data and the
brand-defining look and feel of dashboard infotainment systems,
they added.
Adopting a connectivity standard not linked to Apple or
Google may help automakers in China, the world's largest auto
market, where homegrown companies such as Alibaba (N:BABA) Group Holding
Ltd BABA.N are major players in mobile mapping and services.
Google has a limited presence in China, although the company has
signaled it could expand there.
Ford said France's Peugeot SA PEUP.PA and Japanese
automakers Honda Motor Co 7267.T , Subaru and Mazda Motor Corp
7261.T are also investigating adopting SDL as a standard. QNX
Software Systems and UIEvolution, developers of automotive
connectivity technology, are also adopting SDL, Ford said.
QNX, a unit of Canada's Blackberry Ltd BB.TO , designs
infotainment system software used by 40 automakers.
The Ford-Toyota tie-in follows the purchase late last year
by a consortium of German automakers of HERE, a mobile mapping
business formerly owned by Finland's Nokia NOKIA.HE . Daimler
AG DAIGn.DE , BMW AG BMWG.DE and Volkswagen AG's VOWG_p.DE
Audi NSUG.DE brand say they will use HERE as a foundation for
new connectivity services and features.
Mapping is critical to autonomous driving systems, which the
German luxury car makers intend to roll out over the next few
years.
Apple and Google bring formidable weapons to the rapidly
evolving battle for control of connected cars.
The Silicon Valley giants have armies of programmers,
bulging cash reserves and deep experience in managing and
profiting from consumer data.
Even as they maneuver to avoid becoming beholden to them,
many automakers are adopting Apple's CarPlay and Google's
Android Auto systems to respond to customer demands for better
connections between cars and smartphones.