The era of in-car gaming is on the horizon, paving the way for a future where in-car entertainment goes beyond music and podcasts. If this seems strange to you today, make yourself comfortable: video games will be a fundamental feature of tomorrow's cars.
The fusion of technology and driving
According to a PwC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2022-26 report, the gaming industry is set to maintain its recent rapid growth and it could be worth $321 billion by 2026.
In this context, the "odd couple" formed by the world of gaming and the automotive world is becoming increasingly plausible. Tesla, a pioneer in this field, has already started integrating games into its in-car entertainment systems.
A trend followed by other automotive companies, which are exploring new possibilities to make the driving and traveling experience more engaging and fun.
The Indian startup KPIT Technologies, based in Pune, positions itself as a key player in this emerging scenario. Their recent acquisition of shares of N-Dream AG, a Swiss startup specializing in cloud-based game aggregation platforms, is a testament to their vision and commitment in the field of in-car gaming. Second Anup Sable, Chief Technology Officer of KPIT Technologies, in-car gaming will be a big thing, especially for entertainment for rear passengers.
In-car gaming: let's open our minds
The idea of playing in your car, until recently, was the stuff of raving madmen. However, as autonomous driving technology advances, it becomes an increasingly realistic possibility. This type of entertainment not only offers new forms of entertainment for passengers, but also paves the way for unique immersive experiences, where games can interact with the car environment and viceversa.
The integration of in-car games will not only be limited to creating an entertaining audiovisual experience: it will exploit the deep synergy with the car's systems. This means that games could be designed not just for entertainment, but also to enhance the driving experience by providing innovative interactions between the driver, passengers and the car itself. And one day, perhaps, cars will give the driver a driving test without the need for "human" evaluators.
Pioneering examples
Cloud gaming platforms like the one developed by NVIDIA, which collaborates with Hyundai, BYD and Polestar, are facilitating access to high-quality gaming experiences, without the need for bulky and expensive hardware. This aspect is particularly important for in-car integration, where space and energy efficiency are of paramount importance.
Aside from the aforementioned Tesla, among the first signs of this trend is this year's partnership between the BMW Group and gaming platform AirConsole, which introduced in-car gaming in the new BMW 5 Series. Gamers can use your smartphone as a controller, playing while the car is stationary, for example while charging.
Even the CES 2023 in Las Vegas, products and services related to automotive gaming were widely exhibited, demonstrating the growing interest in this field.
In-car gaming, roadmap to the future
Obviously integrating in-car gaming brings with it some challenges, particularly in terms of safety and regulatory compliance. Regulators have already started to examine the safety implications of these technologies: it is essential that in-car gaming is designed so as not to distract the driver and to comply with all safety regulations.
In the coming years, the convergence of two technologies (autonomous driving and in-car gaming) will produce increasingly immersive scenarios, to the point of completely revolutionizing the way we experience our travels, transforming every journey into a unique and engaging experience.
