Interview
PREPARK / Germany
Christoph Scheuermann, Founder, PREPARK / Germany
Prior to the Auto Apps Evolution 2014, we.CONECT spoke with Christoph Scheuermann, Founder of PREPARK about the striking developments, tasks and challenges in the automotive apps evolution. we.CONECT: Mr. Scheuermann, what role does your company play in the field of auto-motive apps and content development? Christoph Scheuermann: We are a start-up focussing on the development of automotive apps. Our goal is to use the power of crowdsourcing in professional logistics. Hundreds of millions of euros are wasted each year on finding suitable parking for trucks. On top of that, around 44 lives are lost and 1430 injuries per year can be subscribed to unsuitable parking of trucks according to a specific analysis conducted by the Europan Center of Studies on Safety and Risk Analysis. Through our solution, drivers get a better idea of the current parking situation in front of them and can easily decide when and where to stop. we.CONECT: What is your company’s most significant project with relation to automotive apps, user experience and content integration at the moment? Christoph Scheuermann: Our most significant project is PREPARK, an app for European truck drivers to help them find the best free parking lot at the right time. With PREPARK drivers can easily tell their colleagues, how the current parking situation is. Our app shows the name of the parking lot, where the user is currently parking or passing, and offers five different status options. The driver can choose between “completely free”, “half full”, “official places occupied”, “overcrowded” and “blocked”, for example because of roadworks. This status is directly transmitted to following drivers, who can see this on a map or can get the notification via
speech. The driver can focus on the road and can easily decide where to stop regarding the legal restrictions, such as driving times. we.CONECT: Which critical trends and innovations can you identify in the evolution of auto apps and content development to play a growing role in the auto sector? Christoph Scheuermann: There is a rapid change going on fueled by big ITand automotive companies. We think that the most important topics are the standardization of data exchange, security and final ease-of-use. In terms of standardization, we should define reliable standards, to exchange data across automotive platforms and different apps. Ensuring security and data protection will be crucial, especially when apps interact with core functions of the cars. The security level must be as a high as in the banking industry.
program, special real-time motor diagnostics and parking apps. we.CONECT: From your point of view - Which are the conflicts arising between current and upcoming players in the auto app industry? How should they be handled? Christoph Scheuermann: I guess that the key question will be: ‘Will the driving experience be more influenced by the car as we know it today in terms of speed, acceleration, size, prestige etc. or by the things we can do while we are driving or being chauffeured?’ we.CONECT: Can you name the most significant keys to a safe and fast integration of apps and mobile devices in the automotive cockpit?
When looking at ease-of-use, drivers will need to keep their eyes on the road and not on the screen. So head-up-displays and text-to-speech-assistants will be of significant importance.
Christoph Scheuermann: We would like to see, the car manufacturers opening their software platforms for thirdparty-applications like PREPARK and specify the technical requirements, especially those for usability, because nobody knows nearly as much about focussing or distracting driver’s attention as they do.
we.CONECT: Which issues do you consider poorly developed or unresolved within the area of auto apps?
What is more, it will be key to make it easy and attractive to build apps for cars, as it is for us to develop new apps for iOS- or Android-Smartphones.
Christoph Scheuermann: When comparing the average live time of smartphone or tablets with that of cars, I am wondering why car manufacturers still build their own hardware for cockpits.
we.CONECT: In your opinion, how will the dynamics in the automotive apps market change within the next 5 years? Which potentials do you see?
I would prefer an integrated docking station for my iPhone or Galaxy Tab as a second screen. On this screen I would use my preferred navigation app, music
Christoph Scheuermann: We foresee a very high dynamic in connecting cars, especially in connecting the vehicles that are already on our roads.
we.CONECT: Please explain in brief the topics and key issues of the presentation you will be holding at the 3rd Auto Apps Evolution 2014 congress in Berlin? Christoph Scheuermann: As PREPARK helps millions of truck drivers to find suitable parking at the right time, the search for a free parking spot becomes less stressful and legal regulations can be obeyed. Truck drivers report the current parking situation with just one click and when another colleague approaches a highway parking, the parking situation will be announced automatically. In this relation, we will show our concept and the newest release respectively.. we.CONECT: What expectations do you have regarding the Auto Apps Evolution 2014? Which outcomes and benefits do you expect to gain from the exchange with participating OEMs, developers and research institutions? Christoph Scheuermann: I very much look forward to networking with colleagues from different backgrounds and to the discussion of ideas for the future of auto apps integration and development.
we.CONECT: Thanks a lot for this interview! We look forward to a thriving community and event with you! Interview Partners: Serina Gummert and Christoph Scheuermann: Christoph Scheuermann will present the PREPARK app and related functions, highlights and goals during the Auto Apps Evolution 2014 LIVE APPS DEVELOPER LOUNGE under the motto ‘Smarter Parking for Commercial Vehicles’. Auto Apps Evolution 2014 is the leading global automotive congress for industry executives and pioneers focused on the pressing tasks and challenges around automotive apps, sophisticated content and user experience. In 2014, invited speakers and delegates will discuss the advances in the design & development process, gamification and content integration, as well as the traditional HMI versus APP ecosystem. The latest state-of-the-art in auto apps interfaces will be assessed, together with innovative approaches to workload management, latest platform technologies and modern processing and consumer requirements.
Find more Information about the event and we.CONECT online: http://automotive-apps2014.we-conect.com Contact Event Production: Dr. Klaudia Malowitz Senior Product Manager Phone: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 – 48 Fax: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 – 30 Email: klaudia.malowitz@we.conect.com Contact Marketing: Serina Gummert Digital Marketing Manager Phone: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 – 83 Fax: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 – 30 Email: serina.gummert@we.conect.com
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