As automobiles become rolling smartphones, a new era of driver training is popping up in nondescript call centers, where everyday drivers can get help navigating their cars' electronics.
There, headset-wearing customer-service reps act as software specialists, helping car owners navigate through often-confusing menus for GPS systems, audio and in-car Internet access and other built-in electronics. With new cars often offering dashboard electronics akin to Apple Inc.'s iPad, the glove-compartment manual is no longer enough.
General Motors Co. set up an Austin, Texas, area call center where tech specialists help car owners navigate through its MyLink and Cue systems, available on Chevrolets and Cadillacs. To help walk customers through their problems, the Texas call-center specialists move between their cubicles and sitting in replicas of cars featuring the infotainment centers the car owner is using. Two of the most frequently asked questions involve canceling navigation and connecting phones via bluetooth.