In vehicle entertainment to get webified?

IMS says the internet enabled car is a fast growing market and one to watch. “The World Market for OE In-vehicle Telematics” forecasts that globally, the number of new vehicles with Internet access will grow from 1.1 million in 2009 to 6.0 million in 2017 (about 6% of new vehicles),” says a recent report from IMS Research. Jon Cropley, who authored the report says, “the two main factors are the growing popularity of downloadable apps and improvements in cellular technology”.

Not shocking considering the only barriers to high speed internet in the car has been cellular strength and coverage of technologies like WiMax, but the day will come when I no longer need to bring a stack of DVDs on long road trips with the kids. (Yes we try to get them to actually take up reading on these long trips as well, but you know that fight is not an easy one to win sometimes). The day when cellular speed and signal strength is strong enough to stream content from my GoFlex Home to my iPhone, an iPod Touch, or better yet an iPad in the car will be a great day.

Today, in-vehicle entertainment (especially video) largely relies on localized storage, typically flash or disk based systems that connect through the car stereo system. Or, the more untethered approach of using a notebook to watch video. Needless to say, 2017 is a long way off and I may just have to resort to a tablet PC like the iPad, or preferably one that takes a Momentus Thin drive so I can really load it up.

And, since most tablets like the iPad have an e-book app, maybe just maybe, the kids will read a book after all.