The Growth of Connected Cars

If only half the rumors that are floating around the Internet about cars are true, soon people are going to feel like they are in mini-trains, where they sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. We already have cars that will park themselves, automatically stop if you are about to hit something, alert you if you are crossing the middle line of the road and stop you from driving while intoxicated.

The next generation of cars are vehicles that will drive themselves and be full equipped with the Internet. The director, public affairs for AT&T (News - Alert), Susan Diegelman said that it’s only a matter of time before cars that come off the factory lines will be connected cars, fully able to use the Internet to provide information to enhance safety, security and functionality.

“The most impressive capability offered by these innovative vehicles is their role in reducing environmental impact. In 2011, Americans wasted 2.9 billion gallons of fuel due to congestion in urban areas. However, on-board diagnostic systems in connected cars can collect relevant data on acceleration and braking and help individual drivers optimize fuel efficiency, avoid congested roadways, and eliminate unnecessary stops. Specialized mobile apps can additionally monitor the condition of the car and check for needed maintenance, helping to ensure safety as well as prime engine efficiency,” said Diegelman.

“When people have access to information that helps them understand the impact of their decisions on the environment, most will choose the eco-friendly option. At the same time, an aggregate view of anonymous data may help manufacturers make broad-scale changes to reduce the environmental impact of cars in the future,” she said.

Connected cars have been a big topic so far in 2014, kicking off with partnerships and new connected systems at CES (News - Alert), and now more implementation announcements at Mobile World Congress, including new additions to the AT&T Drive Studio.

Qualcomm (News - Alert) Technologies ,QuickPlay Media and Red Bend Software are joining the studio, a 5,000-square-foot facility that was designed to bring together automakers and software companies to collaborate on new connected car technologies.

Audi’s new infotainment system, powered by Gemalto (News - Alert), uses 4G networks to give drivers access to high-speed voice and data services simultaneously, 3G imagery in navigation and features like bad weather alerts.

Tech Mahindra is also a player in the connected car space, offering a connected vehicle solutions that integrates navigation, diagnostics and devices. The connected car platform can be accessed via Tech Mahindra’s system integration capabilities on the unified interface that includes features for driver analytics, navigation, voice commands, radio, mobile syncing, settings and more.