Livio is trying to help automakers, app developers and radio stations and others make money in the new digital dash.
“Livio Keys” is a link between the vehicle manufacturer and software developers.
For listeners trying to access content in the vehicle through an embedded modem or smartphone, “Keys can allow for trials for premium subscription-based content,” much like free satellite radio trials, Livio founder and CEO Jake Sigal tells Radio World.
He describes Livio Keys as a customizable software package that helps the apps and content partners work directly with OEMs for promotion and marketing in the car. It works with both Bluetooth audio and proprietary link protocols, which includes compatibility with HTML5 sites, mobile apps from iTunes, Android, Windows Mobile, Blackberry and OEM-installed dashboard apps.
When asked what prompted the package, Sigal said “There’s got to be a way to make money on apps in the car,” noting that neither automakers nor app developers are there yet.
The “Keys” portion of the name refers to product keys that can unlock special features in the car, like roadside assistance which the automaker pays for, for example. Livio would get a commission on any revenues generated. Users would sign up at the Livio website.
Sigal says he’s hearing from interested stations and hopes to launch the service with an automaker by year-end.
