The invention is the use of a software object as an interface between a device and a network. Both the network and device are located in a vehicle. The system uses a connectivity subsystem that includes a device management object for interfacing between a device and a network in the vehicle. A discovery subsystem identifies which devices are connected to the network by the connectivity subsystem. The control subsystem can then use the device management object to manage the use of the device. In the application layer of the system resides the software applications to be used by the devices and occupants in the vehicle. In the object interface layer of the system resides the software object that connects the network with the various software applications. The network resides in the network layer.