Drivers can now access smart phone applications, through voice control, using SYNC which allows the apps to be displayed on the dashboard screen. Most of these apps are health-related.
According to the Frost and Sullivan report, the market for medical applications, which is the third-fastest growing application category with more than 17,000 applications, is expected to reach a value of $392 million by the year 2015, and have over 500 million users.
Through the Apple Store, the first commercial SYNC application, which features air-pollution, asthma-alert, and pollen-alert applications, was launched early last year. Ford’s global manager for interiors, infotainment, health and wellness, Gary Strumolo, says that with 26 million asthma sufferers, the application is welcome since it will provide critical information for these people.
With this application, drivers will not have to dig around their pockets looking for their phones, and only have to use voice control to access the applications. Strumolo reiterates that it is not their intention to turn vehicles into medical devices given the stringent rules that the FDA has about is allowed to give medical advice.
Strumolo stresses that the vehicle only mirrors the information which is being shown on the application, and the vehicle itself, is not generating this information. The company has been careful about maintaining the boundaries which would cause the FDA to insist on licensing.
