Mobile geographic application in automotive environment

A portable device comprising:

• one or more processors;
• an interface configured to couple the portable device to a head unit of a vehicle;
• a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing thereon instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors, cause the portable device to:
• determine a user context related to a geographic location during a session in which a user interacts with a software application executing on the portable device,
• determine that the portable device has been communicatively coupled to the head unit of a vehicle via the interface, wherein the head unit is equipped with a display device, wherein the session has been deactivated prior to detecting that the portable device has been communicatively coupled to the head unit,
• transmit to the head unit, without an express user command, a request that the head unit accept data from the portable device for output via the display device, and
• in response to receiving an indication that that the request has been granted, cause information related to the geographic location to be displayed via the display device, without an express user input at the portable device.

A method for providing geographic information to head units of vehicles, the method comprising:

• determining, by one or more processors at a portable device, a user context related to a geographic location, detecting that information related to a business at the geographic location is provided via a user interface of the portable device;
• detecting, by the one or more processors, that the portable device has been communicatively coupled to a head unit of a vehicle, wherein the head unit is equipped with a display device;
• transmitting to the head unit, without an express user command, a request that the head unit accept data from the portable device for output via the display device;
• and
• in response to receiving an indication that that the request has been granted, causing, by the one or more processors, information related to the geographic location to be displayed via the display device, without an express user input at the portable device;
• automatically determining a likelihood that a user wishes to navigate to the geographic location;
• when the likelihood is above a threshold value, causing the geographic location to be automatically selected as a destination for navigation directions, or
• when the likelihood is not above the threshold value, causing business information related to a business at the geographic location to be provided via the display device of the head unit.