The concept of Auto Accessories As A Service (aaaaS) may have moved one step closer to reality as Apple Inc. registered several domain names related to automobiles. Some of the product specific URLs that are now in Apple's portfolio include apple.auto, apple.cars and apple.car. Although some automakers consider Apple's involvement in auto manufacturing to be a given, MacRumors suggested the newly acquired domains were likely related to Apple's CarPlay. The latest iPhone app that will allow drivers to access contacts, make calls or listen to voicemails with his or her hands firmly gripping the steering wheel.
Since Google first introduced its driverless car in Nevada more than a year ago, Silicon Valley has become a prime area of interest to bridge the gap between auto technology and vehicle manufacturing. Now, insiders say Apple has hired over a 1,000 automotive engineers away from leading auto builders like Mercedes-Benz and Ford Motor Company. With Apple holding the distinction of being the catalyst that forever changed the music industry by placing the power of distribution and sales in the hands of the consumer, some experts are already predicting a similar overhaul will occur in the auto industry.
It's no secret that Apple investors have become uneasy with the company's stock falling below the highs attained when Apple accumulated a historic amount of cash. Whether the iCar will be the next iPhone, will likely depend upon the how options for technology are going to be marketed by existing auto manufacturers. For example, General Motors has established a direct connection with OnStar, which could be used to market software products after the dealer's sale. On the other hand, several entreprenurial-based technology companies have disclosed their ongoing efforts to participate in driverless hardware/software aftermarket packages.
As far back as the 1940s, theroist Marshall McLuhan deemed the new millennium to be the "Electric Age". Since that time, media experts have suggested that McLuhan was really talking about the "Digital Age", but with the onset of electric vehicles and aftermarket software-based options, he may have hit the nail on the head. Who knows, in the future maybe you can download the latest auto app at any charging station.
