Running a car is hard work – especially if it’s a bit of a banger. Let alone the little inconveniences – where did you park? Are you low on fuel? Xee is a French app that transforms standard cars into smart vehicles, contributing to a connected car market set to be worth $2.2 trillion by 2020.

Push for a pizza, swipe for a cleaner and tap for a taxi. The rise of apps like Uber is facilitating the culture of ‘I want it, and I want it now’. For digital-savvy city-dwellers from London to Beijing, everything you need – from your dinner to a ride home – is just an app away.

While many have predicted that Uber and driverless technology would make the personal car a thing of the past, valet parking app Luxe is hoping to make car ownership infinitely more convenient. But how does it work, and can it be the answer to congested cities and nightmare parking?

Ever wondered where you can find the cheapest petrol prices? With GasBuddy – a fuel-finding app based on a crowdsourcing model – it's not that difficult. And with over 56 million downloads in North America, the company is now hoping to repeat its success in Australia.