Despite new strides in auto technology, drivers still battle problems with their car infotainment systems due to a lack of standardization, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Cars and devices aren't on the same wavelength when it comes to operations or new models, resulting in poor Bluetooth quality, phones that don't sync and other issues.
"The car manufacturers are really struggling with this," said Peter Skillman, vice president of design for Nokia's Here mapping unit. "The smartphone or tablet experience today is much better than the car infotainment system."
The core problem is no standardization; big companies want to protect their brands, but doing so often means that cars and devices speak different languages.
Apple has a system that would let drivers access a phone or tablet through a touch screen; however, the new system would not be compatible with Android phones. General Motors is leery of having a car look like an Apple product rather than part of the GM brand.
"[Car companies] want to own the one to two hours a day of space for advertising, or however it will be monetized in the future; they don't want Google or Apple to have that," said Ajay Juneja, chief technology officer and founder of Speak With Me Inc., an app developer.
Besides standardization issues, another key obstacle is the huge gap between the vehicle development cycle and the rate at which new phones and tablets are released. A car's development cycle can take years, while other devices are released much more quickly.
"Any time we release a car, within weeks there is a new phone out," said John Krafcik, chief executive of Hyundai Motor America.
Experts say carmakers should look at vehicles more like phones, ensuring they have wireless connectivity, and create an industry-wide standard to use as an underlying infrastructure.
App developers currently have to develop programs for each phone operating system and then tweak them again for individual car brands, said James Buczkowski, director of global electrical and electronics systems engineering at Ford Motor Co.
"We have to make this work better," said Philip Abram, chief infotainment officer for General Motors. "We have to make this easier for our customers."
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