General Motors announced it will use Livio Connect technology to integrate the popular TuneIn music smartphone app with the Chevrolet Spark’s MyLink Radio dashboards manufactured globally.
As experts in vehicle design, engineering and worldwide music application development, respectively, GM and TuneIn turned to middleware experts at Livio to help bridge their technologies in OEM car stereos.
Livio Connect is a middleware framework protocol that enables hardware devices and mobile apps, now including TuneIn, to connect to and interact with one another. GM uses Livio Connect technology, which allows owners of Chevy Sparks equipped with the MyLink Radio to enjoy 70,000 stations.
“This is our first major OEM announcement, and it’s with one the world’s largest auto makers,” said Livio founder and CEO Jake Sigal. “Livio helps speed up the development process for GM, ultimately getting consumers the technology they want, safely in the vehicle.”
TuneIn will be available on 2013 Chevy Sparks equipped with MyLink Radio. Livio Connect technology bridges the app, featured on iPhone and Android mobile devices, with MyLink. While connected through Livio Connect, all of the TuneIn buttons and controls from the mobile device will be available on MyLink’s seven-inch touch screen, while the app on the phone itself will be disabled to help promote safer driving.
“Our partnerships with Livio and TuneIn are helping us provide more infotainment choices to Spark and Sonic customers around the world,” said Sara LeBlanc, global program manager for Chevrolet and GM infotainment.
