Lifestyle in the car: Apps take to the road

* Deutsche Telekom and Continental forge a technology alliance
* CeBIT: Luxury infotainment for all vehicle classes

The teaming up of two heavyweights Deutsche Telekom and Continental is designed to bring standard infotainment services previously seen exclusively in executive and luxury cars to the compact and mid-sized vehicle classes. The aim is to make the Internet and specific applications (apps) for drivers part of the standard equipment in all categories of vehicles. In order to achieve this, both companies are combining their automotive expertise into a technology alliance. Under the name AutoLinQ, a prototype of this idea has been installed in a VW Passat CC, which will be on show at Deutsche Telekom’s CeBIT stand.

The solution is clearly based on the principle behind the iPhone cell phone which, with its simple operation and wide range of mini-programs, or apps, has set standards that are now also gaining a firm foothold in the automotive world. AutoLinQ helps vehicle manufacturers to better differentiate themselves on the market by using entertainment and information services to cement brand loyalty.

Continental has developed its own cockpit computer for the mini-programs, which uses the Android operating system developed by Google. Apps run on this cockpit computer either as permanently installed programs or via a special browser, which retrieves the data from an Internet platform. T-Systems, Deutsche Telekom’s corporate customers arm, uses a combination of information and communication technology to make the Internet and mini-programs available even during journeys. The solution also incorporates the latest findings from T-Labs, Deutsche Telekom’s central research and development institute.

At CeBIT, the partners will be demonstrating features such as apps for searching and downloading music using the Deutsche Telekom Musicload service, as well as for T-Online’s news offering. E-mails can also be received and read out in the car, and answered using voice recording technology – without drivers having to lift a finger from the steering wheel or take their eyes off the road. The core functions of AutoLinQ also include an online address book which is linked to the navigation system. Drivers can type in journey destinations on the computer at home or at work before even getting in the car, or via their cell phone when out and about. What is more, as the vehicle is connected to Deutsche Telekom’s mobile communications network, it is even possible to carry out some functions via remote control. For example, drivers can call up information that tells them where the car is parked or check whether the sunroof is open and close it directly using their cell phone.

Visit us at Deutsche Telekom’s CeBIT stand in Hall 4 from March 2 through March 6.

About Deutsche Telekom AG
Deutsche Telekom is one of the world’s leading integrated telecommunications companies with over 150 million mobile customers, around 39 million fixed-network lines and approximately 17 million broadband lines (as of September 30, 2009). Its product brands are T-Home (fixed-network telephony, broadband Internet), T-Mobile (mobile communications), and T-Systems (ICT solutions). As an international Group with approximately 260,000 employees operating in around 50 countries worldwide (as of September 30, 2009), Deutsche Telekom generated more than half of its revenue – EUR 61.6 billion – outside of Germany in 2008

About T-Systems
Drawing on a global infrastructure of data centers and networks, T-Systems operates information and communication technology (ICT) systems for multinational corporations and public sector institutions. On this basis, Deutsche Telekom’s corporate customer arm provides integrated solutions for the networked future of business and society. Some 46,000 employees at T-Systems combine industry expertise and ICT innovations to add significant value to customers’ core business all over the world. The corporate customers unit generated revenue of around EUR 9.3 billion in the 2008 financial year.