In-Car Wifi, 65 MPH You Tube?

I've been contemplating this one for a while, and more so today after GM announced an In-Car WiFi will be available in some new Cadillac CTS'. A while back I had the pleasure if driving home into a collection of powerful storms. I had my laptop connected via Verizon Wireless, loaded up to Weather Underground. I was comparing the Radar Map, to my separate GPS Unit. Then looking around the vehicle I caught my radar detector and XM Unit as well. I was left to think, when are these all going to be combined.

The current factory Navigation systems are getting to this point with on-screen traffic. The future of WiFi in vehicle will go beyond surfing the web as you drive. It's going to be functional, integrated into the Navigation, or what will be the on-board computer. Twitter Updates for traffic and weather? Breaking news delivered to the screen.

I'm not a big proponent of the "machines" tracking my every move, but that's going to be a reality, or at least a choice we can make. It has a ton of potential, at least until BMW decides to build an interface for it.

Speaking of interfaces, when is Apple going to finish it's move into the Automotive markets?

What is an Infini 4?

I'll give a prize of Automotive respect to the person who can answer this one.

* My Automotive Respect carries absolutely no cash, gold, or even conceivable value

Who is Infini4?

This is merely an opening blog, so that in the event my next real blog is actually worth something, it will not be the only one I have.

I work in the Internet Marketing Segment of the Auto Industry, working with Dealers to market their physical inventory online. We've gone from One Photo on an awful website to now 16+ Photos on multiple sites. I've watched the industry go from infancy, to tween. Now as we progress into an ongoing changing industry, Social Media is the next big thing.

As usual with an old industry like Retail Automotive, we are struggling to get buy in to the Social Side. Like every other genre, their are early adopters, and those who think the early adopters are wasting their time. I still talk to people who think the whole "Interweb" thing is a plaything with nothing more than Porn to offer. These same people are destined to feel that Social Networking like Facebook and Twitter are playthings as well.

Myspace seems to be dead. "Creatives" like it still, musicians and comedians, as it's more user friendly for them. Facebook is doing well, but all of us old people are ruining it for the kids. That just means the kids are going to find something else. It's our job to stay on top of that and be there when they are. They buy cars, or they will.

I spoke with a Mitsubishi dealer who insist the majority of his sales come from Grandparents buying vehicles for their Grandkids. He has to market his vehicles to the younger set, but still build value in the vehicle to someone who will never drive the car. It's an uphill battle, and a sign of things to come.