GM offers app developers in-vehicle testing

General Motors has launched GM Dev Client, an industry-first app that gives approved developers who have created in-vehicle applications the ability to test them in a real GM vehicle.

The company says in-vehicle app testing is the next step for app developers who have already created a proof of concept using GM's next-generation infotainment software development kit (NGI SDK).

'By introducing GM Dev Client, we're giving developers the missing link they need to finalise their applications,' said John McFarland, director of Global Digital Experience. 'GM Dev Client will help us and external developers make sure the best in-vehicle apps are ultimately made available in GM vehicles, ensuring the best customer experience for drivers.'

GM says that after building an application's proof of concept with the NGI SDK, the next development step is to conduct real-world testing using a GM vehicle's infotainment system. GM Dev Client allows partners and developers the ability to test their apps in a GM vehicle once they've obtained approval from GM.

In January 2017, GM released the NGI SDK, which mimics real vehicle data and enables developers outside of GM to build apps without making frequent trips to Detroit to conduct testing on infotainment modules. With GM Dev Client, those apps now can be tested on a real GM vehicle anywhere in the U.S.

'Sharing more emulated data points through the SDK than any other automaker was the first step in opening the door for developers,' said Kent Helfrich, executive director of Connected Ecosystem Integration, General Motors. 'After such strong adoption of the SDK, we wanted to enable developers to take the next step and allow real-world testing in our vehicles.'

By the end of 2017, the company promises that NGI SDK will offer a templated framework for developers such as a media player layout or a point of interest layout.