As we move closer to a self-driving future, connected car technology and IoT will play an increasingly important role in improving safety, fuel efficiency, and driver experiences. Automakers have thus invested heavily in these innovations.
Connected cars will revolutionize how consumers navigate cities, how the automotive industry operates and even transportation in general. Automakers must prepare for the new business models and revenue sources that these changes will bring.
Smart Cities
The smart city concept entails collecting data from sensors and other devices to make life simpler for everyone. One example is the use of sensors on bridges, highways and public transport to anticipate traffic patterns in real-time so roads can be redesigned to reduce congestion and accidents.
Vehicles can communicate with each other wirelessly through a network to share information on the way to work or home, cutting down congestion and speeding up journeys. With this knowledge, drivers can avoid dangerous intersections or other areas that would necessitate them to use brakes in order to avoid collisions.
Parking
Connecting your car to the internet offers another advantage, enabling you to search for open parking spots. Companies like Otonomo can gather data from cities’ parking infrastructure in real-time to give drivers a comprehensive overview of available spaces and help drivers locate one quickly and easily.
Predictive Maintenance
Nowadays, most connected cars on the road are equipped with sensors that can help detect any problems before they arise. This enables owners to plan repairs or replacements ahead of time, saving both time and money.
As part of a proactive maintenance strategy, IoT systems can monitor key component performance on a daily basis and notify owners if anything is going awry. This can be done through either an app on your smartphone or dashboard display.
In-Car Entertainment
In-car infotainment is becoming an increasingly important area of the connected car industry. This includes apps for navigation, music streaming, social media sharing and more – all available through in-car infotainment systems.
The in-car infotainment experience has become an integral part of driving, with most drivers expecting their vehicles to do more than just navigate roads. This has resulted in the rise of smartphone integration into vehicles.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are two popular mobile applications for mirroring the driver’s phone onto a car display, enabling drivers to control music, navigation and other services without taking their eyes off the road.
IoT and Vehicle-to-Vehicle Connections
Data connectivity between cars is one of the most sought after features for connected cars, yet it remains uncertain. Eventually, cars will be able to connect to the network with minimal effort from drivers.
To manage the growing volume of data and provide drivers with a smooth experience, automotive firms need to adopt an efficient system that is reliable, secure and user-friendly. Doing so will guarantee the successful digital transformation of the industry while meeting customers’ expectations for connectivity.
