Automakers try integrated tablets to retain backseat business

NoneTake 2 tabletsWith more people bringing tablets into cars for entertainment, BMW and Audi designed their own. Here are 3 things automakers' tablets can do that an iPad cannot. 1. Keep people safer in crashes. BMW and Audi's tablets can be secured in charging docks, which prevent them from becoming projectiles in a crash. Their screens are made from the safety glass used for windshields to minimize shards. 2. Work in extreme conditions. Ordinary tablet computers won't work if they get too hot or too cold. Audi used automotive-grade electronics designed to work from minus 44 degrees to 185 degrees Fahrenheit, so its tablet can be left in a car year-round. 3. Tap into the car's electronics. Automakers won't let just any tablet connect to the electronic architecture of their cars. That would pose risks for security and privacy. But these tablets can control the car's navigation, entertainment, seats etc. Jason ChanBMW of North America"We want to stay on the cutting edge. With innovations continuing to improve tablets, we have to improve how our systems work in the car." It might seem strange that BMW's redesigned 7-series sedan, priced at $81,300 plus shipping, would have to compete with a $499 iPad from Apple.

Automakers try integrated tablets to retain backseat business

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