Is It a Car or a Computer?

Software developers are turning cars into rolling personal computers. Lots of attention is still paid to horsepower, curves in the metal, and giving drivers the ultimate creature comfort behind the wheel: the ability to relax and let the car take over. But even as the industry accelerates toward a self-driving future, it's the touch screen in the dashboard and the slick smartphone app that increasingly sway buyers' decisions in the showroom. Many vehicle models now offer versions of the iPhone or Android interface in the car's touch screen, giving users the familiar look and feel of their smartphones. Meanwhile, app developers are leveraging the car-phone link and improved voice-recognition systems to offer extras such as music streaming and the ability to send or receive text messages with hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.