• by Chase Martin , March 1, 2017

Connected cars seem to be gaining momentum with more than one product introduction at Mobile World Congress this week.

Products on display at the event in Barcelona range from adding in-vehicle connectivity to SUVs coming to the market this year to a fully self-driving concept car with a built-in IoT devices platform.

On the connected SUV front, Ford plans to bring connectivity and even over-the-top (OTT) content streaming service integration into its new vehicles.

Select 2018 model year Ford SUVs can come equipped with Wi-Fi hotspot capabilities that support up to 10 devices simultaneously and entertainment systems that can stream live TV via SlingPlayer. The in-vehicle Internet-based streaming service is enabled by connecting to a consumer’s Slingbox account at home and Ford says this is the first system of its kind to make its way into a vehicle natively.

“This entertainment system creates an entirely new viewing experience in the vehicle,” said Craig Patterson, brand marketing manager of Ford Expedition, said in a statement. “It brings the smart TV experience to Expedition. Together, they completely change the dynamic of a family road trip.”

Other content can be wirelessly sent to and displayed on the screens in the vehicle from supported Android and iOS devices as well.

A smartphone app manages the content being displayed throughout the video and can mirror the content being watched in a headrest display to up to three smartphones or tablets simultaneously. The feature is intended to extend screens to the third row of the vehicle and can be controlled completely by a passenger in the front seat, according to Ford.

On the self-driving side, Peugeot showcased its fully autonomous, but also fully drivable concept car, named Instinct. The vehicle can be driven manually with two modes for sport and comfort or in ‘autonomous mode,’ which also has two modes for comfort and optimized travel time. The autonomous mode is fully self-driving, but control can be taken by the driver at any moment, according to Peugeot.

The vehicle also adapts internally. When in autonomous mode, the steering wheel and toggle switches fold into the dashboard and gas pedal folds away to maximize space. The seat can fold flat for sleeping or recline for watching TV and the vehicle has its own integrated voice-controlled digital assistant.

Samsung’s Artik IoT platform is also integrated into the car so it can connect to a driver’s devices and learn his or her preferences and behaviors over time, according to Peugeot.

“Samsung Artik Cloud enables easy and transparent interaction between connected devices and services, freeing users from having to worry about the underlying technology,” Dr. Luc Julia, vice president of innovation at Samsung Electronics, said in a statement.

“Together, the Peugeot Instinct concept and Samsung Artik Cloud are delivering on the vision of the connected car and making it a reality,” Julia said.