The technological advancements coupled with the internet are evolving at a brisk pace. Today, the internet connects the entire world, and cars are no exception to this.

Back in 1996, General Motors came up with the idea of connected cars along with OnStar. The connected car industry size worldwide was worth $ 53.9 billion in 2020 globally. Experts expect this figure to reach $ 166 billion by 2025 at a CAGR of 25.5% from 2020 to 2025.

We will discuss connected vehicles, their features and benefits, technology, and other aspects in the upcoming segment. Keep reading.

In simple words, vehicles that you can connect to the internet through Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) are called connected cars to make your life easier. For instance, you can remotely control certain functions via smartphone applications, and communicate with other products. Additionally, they facilitate you to receive real-time information, connect your car with a dealership and alert emergency services in the event of accidents.

A connected vehicle comprises an array of innovative and convenient specifications offering a range of benefits.

• Offers access to a variety of infotainment services
• Supports navigation system via third-party apps
• Features modern safety features to ensure optimum road safety
• Advanced safety specifications keep track of the vehicle even when you are not driving
• Allow remote access to a range of functions

Such high-end safety refinements will help you avoid filing frequent claims against your car insurance policy. This way, you can also lower your premiums, thanks to the No Claim Bonus (NCB) facility.

Automobile manufacturing companies employ 2 systems in connected vehicles -

• Embedded connected car technology is equipped with a chipset and built-in antenna.
• Tethered System is equipped with hardware that helps connect the driver’s smartphone with his car.

Further, a connected motor can send information, download software updates, connect with other devices (Internet of Things) and offer WiFi internet connection to the driver and passengers. Connected technology also can access telematics and is proven to be significantly beneficial for electric cars.

The automotive and information technology work collectively to assist connected cars to support different variants of communication technologies. They are -

• Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V): It exchanges real-time data between two connected vehicles and ensures safety.
• Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I): This connectivity is crucial to maintain your vehicle’s security. It connects with road infrastructure and shares or receives real-time traffic information, weather forecast, speed limits, accidents and other details.
• Vehicle to Cloud (V2C): This connectivity works via wireless LTE network and imparts information through the cloud. The primary purpose of V2C connectivity is to download over-the-air (OTA) car updates, remote vehicle inspections or connect with any IoT devices.
• Vehicle to Pedestrians (V2P): It is the latest addition and is equipped for safety purposes. V2P detects pedestrians to offer collision warnings beforehand.
• Vehicle to Everything (V2X): All those mentioned above together are known as V2X connectivity.

Individuals planning to buy connected vehicles can go through the list below to know which models are available in the Indian automobile market.

The following segment discusses the connected car features.

1. Safety

Connected vehicles suggest controlled driving speeds and distances to warn against any threatening condition. Further, in a premium connected automotive, you will find parking sensors with rearview cameras. In some models, other sensors are installed to measure air pressure and notify the driver.

2. Traffic Management

The majority of modern cars are equipped with fixed GPS devices. These devices help with real-time traffic updates to the drivers and passengers via Bluetooth or wireless internet connections. Therefore, you can avoid congestion and reach your destination on time.

3. Vehicle to Vehicle Communication

Installed with a vehicle to vehicle connectivity technology help connected cars to communicate with one another. This shares important data like traffic movement, road conditions, speed limits and other details.

4. Eco-friendly

Till today, a massive number of vehicles run on fuel, increasing carbon footprints significantly. In this regard, a connected automobile is a better alternative. It gives real-time data of people travelling in your direction waiting for a ride. Therefore, you can offer them a ride to bring down the emission rate.

5. Services

Experts predict that connected cars will further offer a seamless experience. Service stations will remotely inspect your vehicles. The vehicles will inform you about nearby parking spaces. In addition, advanced driver assistance systems will lower the burdens of driving, and your motor will give you details about hotels or restaurants along your route. Also, an electric connected car informs about the nearest charging points.

6. Infotainment

Several applications are available to offer music, radio plays, movies, news updates, texts or WhatsApp notifications, and other data to enhance your driving experience.

Due to such high-end connectivity technology, connected cars are hampering the automobile industry. More and more Indians are inclining towards this vehicle type. Experts believe that connected cars will primarily lead the automobile market due to their enhanced safety features in the upcoming years. Further, the next generation 5G connectivity will help connected cars to gain immense popularity.

However, connected motors have a high chance of getting hacked. Potential hackers can control the vehicles remotely, forcing the drivers to accelerate, brake or steer unnecessarily. This will, however, affect the safety aspect of connected cars.