The automotive industry is going to be fuelled by mobile applications and IOT (Internet of Things). Consider this – a new market research report pegs the automotive IoT market at $82.79 billion by 2022. Apart from automated safety, features like assisted driving, in-vehicle network, connected cars, syncing driving data with your smartphone, and cloud-based services for music are going to dominate this market.

Mobile apps in this industry offer huge benefits. You can use apps real time to monitor the vehicles, as well as to boost the vehicle’s in-built technologies.

Why should mobile app developers take this market seriously? The automotive industry gives mobile app developers the chance to monetize their apps. Also, collaboration with providers of third-party tools means that you can leverage the ecosystem and be one of the first market leaders in this very lucrative industry.

Developing manufacturing applications involves making different types of apps that are taking the automotive industry by storm. Some apps give you information and diagnostic tools. These apps ensure that you get real-time tracking and data, though you won’t be able to use them to control your car. You can develop apps to get real-time vehicle tracking and parking, fuel usage, crash alert, engine performance data, vehicle notification, the condition of accelerators and brakes, and more. A lot of this information gathering relates to the security of the car, maintenance, and other estimates.

In other words, the app will send all this information from the car to your app.

Apart from this, some apps control your car. IoT is changing the way we use our gadgets, cars, and appliances. With these mobile apps, you can manage your car’s essential functions by using your mobile phone. You can open or lock doors and activate emergency lights. Hyundai’s new digital key, for instance, can be downloaded on a smartphone application and you can swipe your phone to open or close the car. Hyundai developed the app by using a Near Field Communication technology. The Chevy connected car phone app helps you locate and track your vehicle and other geo-tracking facilities. Mobile app development is going to take you to exciting places!

How customers can use these apps

Smart cars will be the designs of the future! IoT is not just about connecting your car to your smartphone but also relate to third-party tools. Driverless cars are going to play a huge role in the coming years. Technologies for calling and moving a self-driving car by using an app that operates on voice are already underway, and cloud-based apps that use over-the-air software are also going to make a huge impact when it comes to web apps for the
manufacturing industry.

Alongside these manufacturing mobile applications, there is also the emphasis on the importance of security and that opens an entirely new section of automotive apps.

The connected car’s market, in particular, is expected to explode in the coming years. These are cars that are connected to the Internet, and through data sharing, you can access information on the car on your app, self-diagnose car faults, and you can even park your car! With not too many dedicated players in this market, companies that want to target it stands to make a lot of profits.

Building a ‘brain’ for the car takes a lot of effort and synchronization with app makers. You need to embed code in the car systems to integrate hardware and software. The data gathering to enable a smart car begins as early as the production floor of the car when the manufacturer gathers and analyses the data. Smart cars operate at such a high level of functioning that they can even calculate your insurance based on your behavior and usage of the car!

Factors that need to be considered when developing manufacturing apps

There are so many moving parts to developing mobile apps for the automotive manufacturing industry that you need to make sure all your capabilities and the thought processes of your clients are aligned. For example, any developer can build a simple app for a car but facilitating hardware and software connectivity or enabling connection to third-party APIs required very skilled developers who can build apps that work alongside the cars in-built systems and all the accompanying software.

Technological and market research

It is important to research and understand both the technical and market specifications of your product, and for this, it’s good to get your teams brainstorming right from the start. For example, are you going to use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or a traditional mobile network to power your app connectivity? In terms of ROI and the best bang for your buck, which requirements will add value and ensure a maximum profit? What technical roadblocks would you run into and what are your limitations? Does your client have the resources to add new hardware capabilities?

The right developers

Look for developers who have relevant mobile app experience for the automotive manufacturing industry. From IoT and design to voice services and technologies that are controlled by voice and gestures, the developer and designers should bring cross-functional talents and relevant experience to the table. AI experience also helps, in particular for using this technological capability to inspect automotive components, parts and products, and identifying defects.

The right mobile technology stack

There are particular functions that the automotive industry requires, right from using the app to integrate with third-party APIS and leveraging IoT platforms to installing specific hardware and Bluetooth devices in the cars. For whom are you building the app? Do they use Android, IOS or hybrid platforms?

App security, development, and testing

When you connect hardware with software, many glitches can unfold, so you need to have your mobile app testing firmly in place. Will you customize apps or use off-the-shelf platforms? Remember that IoT is changing this market drastically, and interconnectedness between hardware and software is everything. Manufacturer-backed mobile app development is continually changing the car manufacturing industry. In fact, with hacking into the vehicle being cited as an important concern, these apps need more features and a lot more work. Many automakers have been sharing information on how to solve these issues, and much research is being done on these challenges. The blockchain is being considered as a game-changing technology in the mobility industry, and the demand for apps for manufacturers in the industry will only keep snowballing.