3.2 Toward a more open environment The need for an open A majority of participants (excluding Ultimately, for momentum to build in the platform is becoming more OEMs) agreed on the need for a more industry, connectivity offerings have to be open platform where stakeholders can simple, intuitive and consumer-focused. widely recognized as part of jointly participate and innovate through an Open platform environments will be the the drive toward increased open-source approach. As one telematics key to enabling this evolution, “At the end service provider put it, “We have plans of the day, you want simplicity … you don’t collaboration across the to transform our approach to become want to have to keep popping in an app ecosystem. Whether this more of an enabling platform that can and clicking in and figuring it out. You want participate more in the connectivity space it just to happen. The technology needs to means standards will have and other verticals, as well as providing be smart and it needs to work seamlessly to be imposed on the more value to this particular ecosystem.” across multiple devices.” industry remains to be This “open platform” mindset extended Of course, roll-out of systems that seen, but as a foundation to disruptive players. As one participant integrate mobile phone apps with said, “When you talk about Android, it’s in-vehicle digital systems (including the for more rapid and important to understand that they are not wide range of deals that have already coordinated development, it developing those apps, but are providing been struck with OEMs) is helping to the platform for them. What we’re talking crystallize debate. Rather than plugging in will be a major step forward. about here is including them in the their smartphones, a growing proportion ecosystem.” of tomorrow’s consumers seem likely to access connectivity through an embedded module of this type. “As a consumer, why would I want to pay three times “Many people see app providers as people who are over for the same information that is on a device that providing content to the ecosystem – not driving I actually trust?” innovation in the ecosystem. But they’re equal partners at the table.” “Creating apps, is for [the existing operators] and they’ll always be faster and cost-efficient because that’s the business they’re in.” 10 | The quest for telematics 4.0