The year’s final news in the connected car world
We are back for the last time this year with the latest news in the connected car world. I’m quite curious what this field of industry has reserved for the last weeks before the holiday season. So, buckle up and let’s enjoy the ride.
Driver’s voted safety over entertainment
One of the latest surveys conducted by Compass Intelligence showed that drivers are interested in the connected car’s ability to provide them information relevant to driving. In the lead as the most popular features connectivity can offer were the detection of malfunctioning parts and real-time traffic updates (66%)
That seams to put the rummer of distraction to a rest. As the connectivity of the car was considered by many a hazard, as it will distract the driver. Fortunately this is not the only proof that connected car owners are more interested in enhancing the driver experience rather than accessing social media via automobile.
1033 U.S. vehicle owners have concluded, through the Harris Poll, that safety is one of the most important aspects while driving. 84 percent have prioritized blind-spot detection and back-up cameras over infotainment.
Because all of us are more interested in spending time with our family and friends over the holiday and not during our commute.
Give me more, give me more
As the connected car world gets more authority, many operators feel the pressure their networks will be overwhelmed by the M2M communication. Applications for autonomous vehicles have a rising list of requirements which surpass the 4G network.
The evolution is clear when we consider that Verizon Telematics recently declared that almost all car manufacturers they work with have already switched to LTE. At the Global Mobile Broadband Forum, attendees were part of a survey that showed more than half of them considered wireless operators should share their network capabilities to third parties through open APIs.
It’s interesting to see how the connected car will stretch the limits of the network communication technologies.
The Human connected car of the Future
At this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge, organizers have decided on the theme of a connected vehicle, designed with human emotions in mind. The requirement was to consider the technological bust the connected car will have in 2029. One of the more detailed challenges was to take into consideration the interaction with human senses.
One of the most interesting models in my opinion is the Honda CARpet. I even like the word play. The morphing interior concept might be extremely interesting because it makes the model feel alive, but the truth is that it offers higher level of comfort. Cutting down to minimalism, this interior consist of two elements: the carpet and the ball.
It basically allow for the user to rediscover the joy of travel and exploration.
Data Privacy at the bare minimum
Mercedes, Toyota, Ford, GM and several other automakers have agreed to adopt new auto-industry privacy guidelines. But there are some that feel the voluntary principles are not enough. Even if AAA sees this agreement as a first step in assuring that customer rights are preserved, when it comes to connected cars, they consider there is not enough concern addressing the right to control your own information, as a client.
There is also the fact that there was no guaranty that the third-party companies that create the software for the connected car, which are responsible for gathering and using this information, would respect the customers’ privacy until these guidelines. Even so, the U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts calls for “clear rules — not voluntary commitments” when it comes to auto data privacy.
Here we leave it off before the holidays
So here we are with the news, fellow connected car enthusiasts. It sounds like a great year is approaching with lots of new exiting technology, interesting design and privacy policies.
I wish you all a Happy Christmas and hope you visit as many of your relatives as possible. Just get in that car and start its motor. They are waiting for you.