The US Automotive Industry : The Changes It Sparked in American Society
- No other technological invention influenced the way Americans live their life, the way automobiles have, as their arrival had spurred an economic revolution. The growth of the automotive industry not only sparked demands for more roads but also triggered changes in the eating behaviors of American families. In recent years, the global automotive industry also changed the way drivers commercially consumed music for their listening pleasure.
Not a few industries flourished when the automotive industry blossomed, paving the way for the realization of the proverbial American Dream. New jobs were created, while new cuisine in the form of fastfood style burgers, milk shakes, french fries, apple pies, donuts, fried chicken and other on-the-go meals became the staples in drive-thru ordering systems.
Unfortunately, as the advent of digital technology allowed the automotive industry to link with other fields of business to enhance customer experience, the older industries became neglected. The radio industry for one has been replaced by music streaming services. The latter not only makes music choices easier to access but also can be fine tuned to match the moods and experiences of car drivers and their passengers.
Driving and travelling experiences are best enjoyed when there is music that can make people endure long hours of being on the road; or of getting stuck in traffic congestions.
The collaboration between the automotive and music streaming industries was demonstrated in the 2012 Electronics show when Pandora announced partnerships with 16 car makers to make music an integral feature of their latest car models.
Integration of the Streaming Music Service as a Car Dashboard Feature
Combining the wholesome social effects of driving super comfy utility vehicles with streamed music creates benefits that car makers did not imagine before. Yet the 16 car manufacturers who tied up with Pandora were aware that automobile consumers have been looking for alternatives to regular radio programs.
However, the realization of the benefits of linking the automotive and music streaming industries depends on the automobile market. Initially, the Toyota – Pandora dashboard integration came into fruition only in Australia. During the period, Aussies were into buying SUVs and caravans as they wanted to have the time of their lives exploring the country’s diverse landscapes.
Also in 2015 Tesla replaced the defunct Rdio as its music streaming partner, by striking a deal with Spotify. The music service was integrated in the dashboards of Model X and Model S. Yet at that time, the Tesla Spotify team up was available only to owners of Tesla cars in Australia, Hong Kong and Europe.
Last March, Tesla announced that the company will be bringing the Spotify in-car music streaming services to North America. However, the service is not free as Tesla car owners have to pay subscription fees to access the Spotify streaming service. A free alternative to having a Spotify playlist as in-car music is to download one’s playlist through a premium subscription.
Today, even dealers of used and new cars like Earnhardt Auto Centers offer free dowloadble music to customers, which buyers of traditional cars can stream as in-car music using wireless mobile devices.