Location-based service provider Telenav and cloud commerce platform Sionic Mobile are partnering to jointly bring localized eCommerce solutions to contemporary vehicles, the two companies announced Wednesday. Besides digital commerce, the newly formalized alliance will also allow the firms to deliver various promotional offers and rewards to drivers. The partnership leverages Telenav’s in-car advertising platform and Sionic’s solutions for in-vehicle payments and advanced orders. In practice, the software should allow drivers to easily browse and pay for various items while waiting at a traffic light before picking them up from nearby retail locations.
As Sionic’s Express Rewards Marketplace service is also an integral part of the package, drivers will be able to earn loyalty points by participating in various offers, which can then be used toward paying for future purchases on the platform. The two tech companies see this as a major opportunity for both consumers and themselves, citing a 2017 Bond Loyalty Report that estimates some $100 billion worth of loyalty rewards are going unused every year. The fact that the newly announced platform will be designed for in-vehicle use means safety took top priority during development and interactions with the system will hence be exclusively limited to moments when users aren’t driving. In terms of payments, the solution supports a wide variety of financial services and also provides automakers with enough flexibility to optimize the software for their own infotainment consoles, both in terms of delivering personalized experiences and in the context of ensuring brand consistency.
The new technology has the potential to revolutionize contemporary infotainment systems and allow them to match the convenience of smartphones, the two companies believe. No OEM partners have yet been named as being on board with the initiative, though the solution should be available for implementation momentarily. The announcement is yet another step in Telenav’s efforts to diversify its product portfolio while still leveraging its expertise in the field of location services.