From parking itself to seeing in the dark to watching out for blindspots, cars of today can do them all.

Soon, they will even be able to "talk' to one another.

By 2012, some 60 million vehicles worldwide will have some form of telematics link, predicted Thilo Koslowski, vice-president of Automotive research at Gartner.

That is, they will have networked telecommunications and computer systems similar to those already found in

Formula One cars that allow them to trade information with one another about anything from traffic conditions to where to find parking spaces.

Phil Magney, principal analyst at the Telematics Research Group, part of US-based research firm iSuppli, said these systems will also be used to provide links to infrastructure that could potentially beam out traffic information.
The key selling point is safety.

Automotive engineers envision car navigation units exchanging information wirelessly and using this data to help drivers make wiser decisions.

For example, the data could alert car drivers of motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic and also help them choose the best lane in a traffic jam for optimum flow of traffic.

Testing the market Such systems are already being tested in the research labs of car makers around the world, such as Nissan, Honda and Volkswagen.

Honda's system, which was recently tested on the roads in Utsunomiya City in Japan's Tochigi Prefecture, uses communications infrastructure to help spot elusive motorcycles that may not be detected by a car's onboard sensors.

Already, electronics ' microchips, wires and networked systems ' account for more than 30 per cent of the cost of a car.

However, not all microchips in cars are used for safety and communications systems. There are those that run the entertainment systems too - the other killer application that car manufacturers are focusing on.

Intel, the world's largest chip supplier, is trying to muscle in on this market and it has seen success.

More car equipment makers are using its Atom processors, said an Intel spokesman. He did not give figures.

The chips are used in systems that provide navigation, Internet connectivity, VoIP, and rear-seat entertainment in cars.

"Telematics will be an answer to address safety, security and traffic congestion while keeping driving fun," said Mike Bryars, senior manager for infotainment and telematics at Freescale Semiconductor, in a July newsletter of Automotive Engineering International.

Much of the fun now is in electronics systems that can link up with consumer products such as music players and DVD systems.

In Singapore, car audio enthusiasts have even come together to pit their custom audio systems against each other in competitions.

William Tan, 48, the rules and ethics director of the Security and Auto Sound Challenge Association, or Sasca, said that for such shoot-outs, car owners would typically spend from $15,000 to more than $50,000 gearing up their wheels to sonic nirvana.

Sasca represents almost all the 150 car audio installers in Singapore. Non-geeks may apply

It is no longer just gearheads who are tricking out their cars with entertainment systems, souped-up stereos and navigation aids.

Many non-geeky drivers are also bringing electronics that once belonged in living rooms into their cars. They start out small, with systems that can accommodate the iPod and DVD player, and they are driving up demand.

Sales of electronics for cars are expected to hit US$12.8 billion (S$19.2 billion) this year, said the Consumer Electronics Association - a 12 per cent increase over 2007.

This article was first published in The Straits Times, Digital on Oct 29, 2008.