Why leave your car out in the cold while your smartphone gets all the app fun? Hughes Telematics is aiming to bring downloadable apps to car dashboards, and the possibilities are pretty crazy.

Hughes plans to start rolling out the new dashboard consoles in about 2010, and gives examples like an emissions monitor, web-connected security camera, and even Twitter integration as what might soon be appearing in your car. Think about it: on a cross-country trip, your car takes panoramic photos of your surroundings every half hour, or of that little punk that keyed your front door in the Wendy's parking lot. You could lock and unlock your car with your iPhone, or control the stereo with it. What about updating your Facebook status with exactly where you are? That way your friends can have even more specific data about your personal life to not care about. This is the future, people. [NYTimes, photo by NYTimes]