Ford buys car app developer Livio: Control standard

NetEase Technology News September 27, according to the foreign media, the Wall Street Journal reported that Ford Motor in Thursday announced a price of less than 10 million U.S. dollars to buy Michigan application developer Livio, to further standardize mobile applications linked to vehicle navigation and entertainment systems to expand the future potential market. Livio's application allows smartphones or tablets to connect to car navigation and entertainment systems in a variety of cars, including Ford. Paul Mascarenas, chief technology officer at Ford, said Livio was the first software development company Paul Mascanas Ford had acquired since 2000. Ford attaches great importance to the development of its onboard system Sync AppLink, while Livio's Livio Connect technology will greatly expand the system's support for mobile devices, including the ability to play Pandora, Spotify, and the mobile device via car audio systems Services such as the Wall Street Journal Radio and live broadcast by the Major League of America (MLB). As each car manufacturer adopts a self-developed navigation system, the developer will have to develop it separately for different models when applying docking. Ford has tried to expose and standardize its applink, but the market's acceptance of the technology has been minimal. The combination of Ford and Livio is expected to change this situation. Livio will retain the original brand name, as Ford's wholly-owned subsidiaries continue to operate independently. (Lu Xin)