General Motors in the US have just released GM Marketplace. It is a new commerce feature that will let owners of more than 2 million vehicles order and pay for food, make dinner reservations, pay for fuel or even order and pay for a coffee, directly from their car, via the touchscreen in their vehicle.
Many GM vehicles feature 4G connectivity (have a pre-installed sim-card for emergency calls & browsing on the infotainment screen etc), so this may well be the next logical step in technology moving forward. Initial partners include a rather diverse group of big companies, such as Starbucks, ExxonMobil, and a fried chicken joint called Wingstop. Yes, you can now order and pay for chicken wings with the screen in your 4X4. 
The new GM Marketplace is being rolled out in new vehicles with 4G LTE connectivity and a compatible infotainment system. They’re expecting to increase the number of connected vehicles to 4 million this year alone. The program has also included a “shop” feature, where owners can see offers related specifically to their vehicle – Imagine booking your next service from your 4X4, and getting a discount offer pop-up when you do.
The new commerce platform uses real-time interaction data, so the location of the vehicle, time of day, and the owners established digital relationships (think, coffee loyalty card) are all taken into account, which then offers a rather personalised experience.
Automation is expected to be heavily involved as the system evolves, with the ability to set automatic ordering, like coffee first thing in the morning on the way to work. Alternatively, the GM Marketplace may begin looking at fuel prices automatically when you reach, say a quarter of a tank. This will then allow the system to suggest retailers based on price, and where you are.
The GM Marketplace seems like a rather interesting system, and could well be the next evolution of the in car entertainment system. See more about the system here.
