A computer-implemented method for remotely managing user application programs executable in a motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: providing a server computer located remotely from the motor vehicle and having access to wireless communications for exchanging information with the motor vehicle; maintaining a list of available user application programs on the remote server; implementing a plurality of download directories in the remote server, and storing in each download directory a corresponding set of application programs selected by a corresponding user; receiving a signal from the motor vehicle, the signal including a phone number of a user mobile phone detected in the motor vehicle; and associating the received phone number to a corresponding one of the download directories in the remote server; approving at least one of the available user application programs for use in a specified motor vehicle make and model, wherein said approval is determined by or on behalf of the vehicle OEM or service providers; forming a controlled list of applications at the remote server that identifies the approved applications; selecting at least one application from the controlled list of approved applications for download to a specific motor vehicle, wherein said selection is made by or on behalf of an owner of the specific motor vehicle, wherein the application selecting step is carried out by a user via application selection software executed on a user web portal or executed on the head unit of the motor vehicle; wirelessly downloading the selected application program from the remote server to the specific motor vehicle; installing the downloaded application program for operation on a head unit of the specific motor vehicle, and wherein the wirelessly downloading step comprises downloading the selected set of application programs from the corresponding download directory to the motor vehicle. providing a server computer located remotely from the motor vehicle and having access to wireless communications for exchanging information with the motor vehicle; maintaining a list of available user application programs on the remote server; implementing a plurality of download directories in the remote server, and storing in each download directory a corresponding set of application programs selected by a corresponding user; receiving a signal from the motor vehicle, the signal including a phone number of a user mobile phone detected in the motor vehicle; and associating the received phone number to a corresponding one of the download directories in the remote server; approving at least one of the available user application programs for use in a specified motor vehicle make and model, wherein said approval is determined by or on behalf of the vehicle OEM or service providers; forming a controlled list of applications at the remote server that identifies the approved applications; selecting at least one application from the controlled list of approved applications for download to a specific motor vehicle, wherein said selection is made by or on behalf of an owner of the specific motor vehicle, wherein the application selecting step is carried out by a user via application selection software executed on a user web portal or executed on the head unit of the motor vehicle; wirelessly downloading the selected application program from the remote server to the specific motor vehicle; installing the downloaded application program for operation on a head unit of the specific motor vehicle, and wherein the wirelessly downloading step comprises downloading the selected set of application programs from the corresponding download directory to the motor vehicle.