Reading an article in today’s Wall Street Journal entitled ‘Auto Makers Losing Battle for Dashboard Apps’ reminded me that there are a number of technology-based changes that would be wonderful to use in 2016.

What must be kept in mind is that all are what should be considered “First World Problems” and collectively American lives will not be vastly better with the advent of the five things noted below. But it would be cool. And that’s something right:

• A fully connected car. We’ve seen the ads for cars that offer Wi-Fi apparently to mollify bored children riding in the back. That’s nice, yet having my mobile phone completely sync with the car’s operating system – including Google Maps, contacts, a really adept voice response system etc. is still coming soon but probably not in 2016. It’s taking a long time and longer than it should. Apple Car Play and Google Android Auto are good signs.

• An EZ-Pass app. I’ve written about this before  and based on response it is something that many people would like to see but for some reason it still has not happened. I hate the transponder thing as it’s so circa 1995.?

• Wi-Fi on commuter and subway trains, and buses. I am willing to pay a reasonable additional fee. Throw in taxis while we’re at it

• A good projectable virtual keyboard. What is taking so long to have a tablet or even a phone project a virtual keyboard so mobile devices will be ever more useful?

• Better interface for streaming music. I use Spotify and it’s changed the way I listen to music (I listen to so much more), but the inventory while expansive has limitations. All the services should find ways for people to purchase music not included in the streaming catalog – yes Taylor Swift and Adele but also The Beatles. Why should I need multiple services?

There are so many more of these ‘gifts’ so please be encouraged to share ones you’d like to see for 2016 and beyond.