From Ford T to 4G: a revolution in automotive technology

The automotive industry is on the verge of major changes in more than 100 years. Cars connected to the Internet and smartphones will change our understanding of cars, given that about 90% of cars will be equipped with data transmission devices by 2020. The auto industry has not known such seismic shifts since the Ford Model T became the first car produced on the conveyor.

Until today, the term “connected car” was perceived by the industry mainly as another buzzword. However, it seems that right now we are on the verge of fundamental changes. Recent studies have confirmed that consumers are more than willing to use the fruits of this technological revolution — over 80% of them believe that connecting a machine to the Internet and a smartphone will become just as commonplace as a smartphone or home devices connected to the network.
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And if consumers are open to the opportunities of the new era, what exactly should they expect in the next couple of years and what prospects for the technological development of the it industry can offer in the more distant future?

Safety and Diagnosis

Although it does not seem the most interesting, but research has shown: an increase in safety is what drivers care most about. 73% of them say that this is the most important thing they expect from data transfer technologies in cars. Most likely, automakers will concentrate on this in the near future.

The order of the European Union about eCall, which obliges to have pre-installed devices for the automatic dialing of emergency services on all new cars, will come into force in 2015. The device will send such important information as the place and time of the accident to the rescue services; This means that drivers will be able to quickly receive assistance anywhere in the EU. After all, it is expected that the response time in cases of an accident will be halved.

A wide field for the development of diagnostics will also play a crucial role in the connected car revolution. Imagine an application that allows you to check the status of the machine from a smartphone or tablet, before you sit in it. You can call a mechanic for repair, and not face his charms in the middle of the road. This is a great example of how data transmission technologies help motorists, and something that automakers such as Jaguar Land Rover are already working on.

Data capabilities

“By-product” connected car is a huge amount of data received, because one car can produce terabytes of information. The research company iGR predicts that the amount of data that cars will transmit over mobile networks will increase by 188% over the next 5 years. Car companies will be able to use this data for service improvements.

For example, dealer networks get most of their profits from service, not from sales. But as soon as the car runs out of warranty, buyers seek other car services. Manufacturers can now influence customer behavior by using data from car diagnostic devices and allowing dealers to contact drivers in advance to agree on the necessary repairs.

What is ahead? Self-learning machines?

Looking into the future, it can be said that the opportunities that are opening up through the sharing of wireless and automotive technologies are almost endless.

For example, data communications can have a huge impact on how emergency services work. In an ambulance equipped with wireless, paramedics can use video calls to share information about a patient’s condition with a consultant in a hospital. It means that there is an opportunity to increase the so-called “golden hour” - the time during which treatment can help prevent the worst or even fatal consequences of a car accident, turn it into a “golden hour and a half”, which, no doubt, will help save many lives.

When the full-fledged era of cars that can drive without drivers comes, there will be completely new ways to use data transfer technologies. The machine will be a continuation of the office or living room. Say, you will have the opportunity to arrange a video conference with friends or colleagues while traveling.

The culmination can be a “self-learning machine” - a car that combines personal, contextual data and information updated online to personalize the driving experience. Such a machine can have artificial intelligence, which will be trained, receiving information about the daily behavior of the user, and adapt the car's system to the driver. You will not need to ask the navigator for the way to your favorite restaurant - knowing your behavior, he will offer to go there.

Of course, all this is a matter of some time, but it gives an understanding that, by combining the capabilities of the new era with glorious automotive traditions, the car may well give you a user experience that you have never known before.

Thank you for the translation to our friend Valentin Dombrowski, Cleanweb and Vinli evangelist on life, Vice-President of Excursiopedia for Innovations - for work.

This Tuesday, together with Valentin, we are having an open meeting with Vinli representatives (these guys are making a platform for connected car applications in the USA). There will be beer, a lot of interesting details and a discussion of the hakaton about smart technologies for cars. Come on .