One thing that automakers and most new-car shoppers can agree on is that the roughly five-year development cycle of a new vehicle is unacceptable. That gestation period means, among other things, that much of the onboard infotainment technology is obsolete by the time a new vehicle rolls into the showroom, especially compared to a smartphone that can be updated minute by minute.
Car companies know this and are adopting over-the-air updating strategies?the most notable company being Tesla?but even in doing so, they remain hesitant to give up their proprietary systems due to the profits they bring in and other factors such as brand identity.

Data aggregator INRIX is hoping to change all that with its purchase of OpenCar, an automotive software company that has previously worked with Mazda. OpenCar?s software is an open-framework package that allows automakers to customize the look, feel, and function of their infotainment, even down to separate models or global regions. In adopting the OpenCar platform, the company says, carmakers can speed development and reduce costs while keeping the look and feel of the system their customers have come to know?in some cases for better or for worse. OpenCar also provides developer tools to allow for an open-app ecosystem wherein automakers?and perhaps individual vehicle owners?can pick and choose what features and functions to add to their cars. OpenCar also says that leveraging the data-collection power of INRIX, which alr...