Who owns the road? The IoT-connected cars of Today and Tomorrow

The Internet of Things in the automotive industry:

The connected cars or any other vehicle has been the most visible and simple example of the Internet of Things technology. But cars become frequently software-driven, the real IoT developments in the auto industry are behind the scenes, as both automakers and software providers lay request to the driver’s seat.

“Our cars have been connected for years, in ways that by now look usual. They seamlessly link to our smartphones, stream our Spotify playlists, register real-time traffic alerts, and give emergency roadside help at the touch of a button”. 

Certainly, automakers started linking vehicles to information streams back in the early days of the Internet. When it comes to connecting drivers and technology, the auto industry has a deeper and richer track record than any other industry.

Who’s gonna drive you home?

The Internet of Things allows transformational change, and there is no question that the automotive sector is growing extremely and rapidly. IoT-related technologies will draw the map for the business to follow, and the connected car will play a significant role on the roads and in the economy of the future. The power conflict between automakers and software developers is a sign of the ongoing transformation, like birth pains as the industry reinvents itself.

We are progressing from an age of products to an age of services and expertise, from hardware to software, from functionality to information as the key purpose of value production, and from industry pits to intricately connected ecosystems and value loops.

It is no wonder that carmakers find themselves driving new terrain within an ever-expanding ecosystem of players, all of which are trying to capture value, and where players that manage the aggregation and study of this information, the software providers firmly gain ground. 

What is the Internet of Things?

Internet of Things refers to a connection of billions of complicated devices like sensors, electronics, gateways, actuators, and platform hubs. These solid devices connect and communicate with each other over a wireless network. Connected objects (or things) distribute data and operate without any interruption by humans.

How do connected cars work?

“Connected cars have been a hot topic for many years which is accelerating the next revolution in roadway safety”.

Connected cars surround more than just location tracking, though. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP, which unites various telecom organizations and standards) has built a basic foundation for vehicle connectedness: Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X). 

The standard promotes both the future of connected cars and allows for delayed compatibility. There are two modes of operation with C-V2X: device-to-device and device-to-network.

Device-to-device: 

It supports interaction scenarios like vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P). V2V, V2I, and V2P initiate more than just connected cars, they make connected roadways by innovations like collision traffic signal priority/timing, avoidance, and safety alerts to pedestrians and cyclists all feasible.

Device-to-network:

It supports vehicle-to-network (V2N) communication through cellular networks, enabling cloud services to be incorporated in these end-to-end solutions, as well as real-time traffic routing and reporting. With association to a cellular network, vehicles themselves can maintain data streaming capabilities.

The road ahead for the industry is open and filled with opportunity. It’s time to shift into high gear.

IoT and Autonomous vehicles:

Autonomous vehicles are an exciting argument among automobile makers. Various carmakers are trying to develop a completely autonomous car that will find all driving functions from the driver. Even though advancements have been made in this area, a fully autonomous vehicle is still to be developed.

However, semi-autonomous vehicles have been made that partially helps drivers with braking, driving, parking, and lane changing activities. IoT introduced semi-autonomous cars to take on-spot decisions while partially controlling the vehicle operations to prevent accidents and reduce the load from the driver. Along with complex proximity sensors and cameras, cars are combined with IoT systems to reduce human error and make driving more convenient and safe.

What is the future scope of IoT connected cars in the automotive industry?

Internet of Things along with other distracting technologies is changing the complete automotive industry. Development in this field has brought in the emergence of innovative development in automobiles in terms of automated and connected cars. 

Its usage has reconstructed car inspection and maintenance capabilities and bestowed new mediums of entertainment. Moreover, vehicular telematics is enabling long-range data transmission that has assisted in the emergence of an IoT powered fleet management system.

“IoT applications in the automotive industry are improving day by day. With the improvement in the technology of the Internet of Things, more refined automobile use cases will pop up that will ultimately change how we communicate with our vehicles”.

Image Courtesy: Ontheroadtoautonomy, yourstory, medium, automotive online.el, Bold business