Cars are becoming fully networked computers on wheels

networking and the increasingly sophisticated processing of data is part of our everyday lives. In the automotive world, we are still relatively far at the beginning, but the perspective is clear: the car of the future will move through an environment that is fully networked with it, and the passengers will have the same access to the Internet in the car as they do with their smartphone or computer. This also has advantages for dealers.

Driving in twenty years will not be comparable to driving today, predicts chad morley, vice president, automotive& transportation from electronics company jabil: it will be a comprehensive, digitally fully integrated and individualized experience that will fundamentally change our understanding of driving a car.

Despite the change in tempo, some good things are worth more than others. Smart studies, useful tips, usable tools and best cases. That’s why we present you the best timeless articles from etailment in loose succession.

Vehicles become smart devices

the awareness that in the internet of things vehicles could become the smartest end devices has long since reached the automotive industry. "Many fear the demise of the auto industry, but a new billion-dollar market is emerging, and the key to this party is software.", The Suddeutsche Zeitung quoted Dieter Zetsche in March.
The statement by the then still acting head of daimler is indirectly confirmed by herbert diess, head of the VW group "the cars of the future will be more and more differentiated by their software capabilities." – and backed up by mckinsey: in the future, software will account for 30% of a vehicle’s value (today 10%); electronic and electrical components another 25%.

How companies are driving into the future

The range of apps and services for mobility is almost unmanageable – and that’s just the beginning! The following overview shows how this can save time and money in everyday work. Read more

When cars talk to each other

In order to link real-time data from vehicle electronics with the spaces we have just traversed, we need faster mobile networks than we have at the moment. And even 5G will be too slow when it comes to correlating movement data from different vehicles about lane conditions, traffic density in real time.

Another area of application is the optimization of parking space searches. In a connected world, infrastructure informs vehicles about available spaces. The parking joint venture of BMW and Daimler is one of the companies working on this, and in europe the brands park now, parkline, parkmobile and ringgo are bundled under its umbrella.

Optimizing the search for parking spaces

The examples indicate the change: data services will be part of the core business of car manufacturers in the future, software will become as important as the powertrain. The 2018 connected car innovation study finds that many original equipment manufacturers (dt. OEMs) have now firmly integrated connectivity solutions into their innovation portfolios and the task now is to bring the solutions to technological maturity.

Large budgets are being made available for this, as horizont reported in May: in the next three years, the industry plans to invest around 60 billion euros in e-mobility, digitization, and connected and autonomous driving alone.

Money well spent, mckinsey consultants are certain . They predict that the data generated by vehicles alone will make a decisive contribution to generating new revenues, reducing costs and increasing safety. The value created by 2030 is estimated to be between 450 and 750 billion US dollars worldwide.

In order to be able to manage a transformation of this magnitude, manufacturers are entering into targeted partnerships, and competitors are also pulling in the same direction. In february, BMW and daimler merged their mobility offerings and, in addition to the aforementioned joint venture park now, established four other joint cooperations (reach now, charge now, free now and share now).

Defying data supremacy from silicon valley

But of course the big data-driven groups are way ahead of the automotive manufacturers in terms of data generation and analysis. The acquisition of the former nokia subsidiary HERE by audi, BMW and daimler was an attempt to defy the data supremacy of silicon valley.

Where know-how cannot be accessed directly, the tools of the big players are used, the Suddeutsche Zeitung has just reported: microsoft, amazon and google have enriched their cloud platforms with digital toolkits that developers could use to implement new functions in just a few weeks- artificial intelligence included. These will also be used, for example by renault-nissan. On the other hand, there is always the danger of becoming dependent on platform companies.

In the world of data, security is by far one of the biggest challenges. The more computers are used in a vehicle, the more interfaces there are, the greater the surface for hackers to attack. Guido dornbusch, vice president product management of the technology company laird, in a guest article for next-mobility.News invokes the potential of firmware over-the-air (FOTA): this way, weak points can be patched continuously and quickly, new functions can be integrated, and cryptographic processes can be modernized.

Connectivity is a standard feature

And what about practical applications in the present day?

Connectivity is a standard feature in many models from many brands. The range of services, however, differs considerably. In the luxury class, concierge services are offered, cinema and concert tickets can be reserved; in other models, smartphones can be connected via USB interface or bluetooth at most.
Connectivity solutions are also offered in vehicles for small and medium-sized enterprises: example mercedes pro: the new brand from mercedes-benz vans combines the offerings and digital services of mercedes-benz vans on one platform.

5G and the future of connected cars

Mercedes pro launches with connectivity and fleet services and is to be expanded step by step. The connectivity and fleet solution mercedes PRO connect is offered, which, according to mercedes, intelligently links fleet manager, driver and vehicle, simplifies trip management with digitalized records and ensures that workshop visits can be better planned, downtimes reduced and thus the utilization and reliability of the fleet improved.
Mercedes PRO connect is initially available for the vito, evito and the sprinter. The "internet of things gets going faster and faster.

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