When the automobile was invented in the 18th century, it was little more than an engine with a driver’s seat – a machine designed with the sole purpose of transporting its driver from Point A to Point B.

Soon, the car will also be a place for health and wellness and enterprising entrepreneursshould take note. With the rapid advance of self-driving cars and new automobile technology, routine health checkups will be part of a driver’s every day commute. Although this technology is still nascent, engineers are currently developing sensors that can monitor our health as we drive. These sensors include cushions that can measure weight, steering wheels that measure heart rate, and video monitors to detect driver drowsiness. Taken collectively, these technologies could provide an unobtrusive physical exam every time a driver gets behind the wheel.

We have barely begun to scratch the surface of consumer car technology. Few engineers and app developers realize that the car is a perfect platform to deploy health and wellness services to millions of Americans and billions around the globe. There is enormous opportunity for automobile innovation. So far, most of the hype has been centered around Google GOOGL -2.86%’s self-driving car, or Tesla’s electric vehicle. Soon, cars will drive themselves, freeing up time to focus on passenger health and well-being.
What’s most exciting about this trend, is the opportunity it will create for today’s digital health entrepreneurs. It’s time for innovators to stop thinking of the car as a vehicle and start thinking of the car as a sophisticated platform. The concept is not far-fetched. A cell phone was just a phone until Apple AAPL -4.67% launched the App Store in 2008. After that, the phone became a platform. Now, many millions take advantage of health apps, such as fitness trackers and even simple diagnostics, to improve their overall quality of life.

Today we are living in the “Blackberry” age of car technology. As a general rule, each car company personally develops and deploys the software available in modern cars. There are a few smart companies, such as SiriusXM, that offer their service as an opt-in piece of software, and sell their product to multiple vendors (car companies). But by and large, software developers have yet to realize that the car’s computer is merely another platform to deliver apps to consumers. And I believe the biggest and (most meaningful) impact will be made in health and wellness apps.

Americans spend a lot of time behind the wheel. In fact, drivers are logging an average of about 30 miles per day, according to a recent survey. All that time on the road – an average of 46 minutes per day – could be put to better use. In the future, the car will be a space for health and wellness instead of stress and frustration. With Google and Apple’sself-driving car initiatives, the roads will be safer, and drivers will become passengers. With no need to keep eyes on the road, the car will become a place of quiet respite.

But innovators don’t have to wait around for self-driving cars. Automobile health tech is ripe for development now. Car companies like Ford are making headway in the effort to equip cars with health sensors that can detect possible health problems. For now, car companies have safety in mind, hoping to detect emergencies (like heart attacks) and offset the risk of a deadly crash. continua a leggere

 

Articolo di Unity Stoakes su Forbes