...VW is working on a future in-car “infotainment” system that will have the ability to accumulate new applications (i.e. apps). Since most apps are the brainchild of tech-savvy consumers, Volkswagen is going directly to the source and asking potential customers worldwide to design programs to be used in its cars. The contest rules don’t limit the use of the app, so it can be a program for the driver or the passengers, and it can be functional or pure entertainment. So imagination, and a little bit of Flash skills, seems to be the only real limitations...

...Incorporating apps into cars is not a revolutionary idea. Companies like GM and Ford are investigating tie-ins with upcoming OnStar and Fiesta projects. But those so far have been largely required the use of an accompanying smartphone. The difference here is that VW is not only making the first mass public appeal for apps designed for its cars, but also these will be incorporated directly into the car’s on-board system.