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In days gone by, a radio used to be on a car’s options list. Now we expect better sound quality than most people have in their homes. We expect traffic reports, we expect sat-nav and Bluetooth.

The list is getting ever longer as manufacturers add technology to give us a view of the world five minutes ahead of us on the road and the ability to carry on our social and working lives uninterrupted as we get into the car.

Mobile technology companies are falling over themselves to find partners which will guarantee customers in the vehicle manufacturing world. That can lead to difficult choices for the consumer who wants a particular car but is signed up to a phone service not favored by that car’s manufacturer.

The Car Connectivity Consortium has sprung up seeking to establish common solutions for linking smartphones, Internet and navigation systems to cars. Members so far include Daimler-Benz General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, VW, Alpine LG Electronics, Nokia, Panasonic and Samsung. Notable absentees are BMW/Mini and Apple, who are cosily working ever closer together.

The auto industry isn’t famous for pulling together to create common solutions without legislation. In the meantime, here are some of the new developments and partnerships for 2012 that you can check out at the New York Auto Show:

* When the 2012 Audi A7 arrives this April, the Audi Connect services will include voice-activated Google Earth, Google Local Search, and Sirius Traffic information combined with Google Earth imagery. In addition, Audi Connect allows users to obtain real-time news, weather and fuel prices from other providers. Audi Connect is also able to turn the vehicle into a secure mobile Wi-Fi hot spot.

Audi’s partner is T-Mobile USA. A T-Mobile SIM card can be connected to T-Mobile’s network when inserted into the advanced Audi MMI® Navigation Plus system. The SIM card will be included with the vehicle, allowing customers to simply sign up for a service plan at the time of the car purchase or at any time during or after the six-month complimentary trial period.

* Mercedes-Benz has gotten together with global audio and infotainment group Harman to produce an innovative navigation solution giving the flexibility of a portable sat nav device with the convenience of complete driver cockpit integration. The new Becker Map Pilot navigation system premieres in the new Mercedes-Benz SLK and in the new generation C-Class and will later be rolled out to their entire range.

Data for the system is contained in a compact navigation “brain,” which can be easily removed from its docking cradle to update map data or upload the latest applications and features.

The unit connects to the vehicle’s onboard radio and fixed-screen electronics via a tailor-made cradle discreetly housed in the car’s glove compartment.

It’s operated via controls on the multifunctional steering wheel, the turn/push control and integrated voice commands. The navigation route is shown on the large-format central display and instrument cluster, and voice instructions are reproduced from the car’s onboard speakers for better quality — a distinct advantage over conventional portable navigation systems.

The direct link to the Mercedes-Benz SLK or C-Class base radio means that the latest traffic warnings and other updates can be incorporated automatically in the route planning system through the Traffic Message Channel and the guidance system automatically adapts itself to the current traffic situation.

* The all-new 2011 Dodge Charger’s Uconnect Touch (left) gives the driver Garmin navigation and Sirius Travel Link with real-time fuel prices, movie listings, sports updates and weather via a touch screen.

The premium Uconnect Touch 8.4N model turns the Charger into a mobile hot spot, providing instant access to the Web and e-mail. The wireless system combines Wi-Fi and 3G cellular connectivity to provide high-speed data transfer and flexibility.