As of today, one of the phrases that have managed to create a buzz in the automotive industry is ‘Connected Car’.
What is a Connected Car?
A Connected Car is a vehicle equipped with special sensors and connectivity. The Connected Car technology enables an average car to communicate with other Internet of Things (IoT) devices, access or share data, download software, and provide internet for onboard passengers.
Connected Car technology uses tethered or embedded systems for connectivity. A tethered system uses hardware to connect to a smartphone or any other gadget. An embedded system uses a chip.
How Do Connected Cars Communicate?
The Connected Car technology uses the following types of connectivity to establish a connection between people, devices, and critical infrastructure:
Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) – this type of connection ensures vehicle safety by exchanging real-time data between different vehicles.
Vehicle to Pedestrian (V2P) – this new connection type is designed to alert the driver about collisions. It uses advanced sensors to detect and ensure the safety of pedestrians.
Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) – this type of connectivity helps the vehicle to receive information about road, traffic, and weather conditions. The vehicle can interact with any critical infrastructure to gather information.
Vehicle to Cloud (V2C) – this type of connectivity enables the vehicle to connect with the cloud or another IoT device. The vehicle can download real-time updates and diagnostics.
Vehicle to Everything Connectivity (V2X) refers to the use of all four types of connectivity by the vehicle. This technology is designed to improve traffic flow, road safety, and user safety.
Features of a Connected Car
The infotainment unit in a Connected Car is used to play various audio or musical files, Internet radio, podcasts with the help of different apps and gadgets. The unit is programmed to understand hands-free controls and voice commands such as “change the song”, and it even has Bluetooth, enabling the driver to stream music and receive calls.
According to a study on Intelligent Driver Systems, 45 million vehicles will grant access to voice assistants by 2025.
When it comes to safety, a Connected Car security system is so efficient that it offers roadside assistance, which helps drivers if caught in an unfortunate accident. The system can contact nearby rescue workers and authorities.
These services are remarkable when it comes to preventing injuries and deaths. The security systems also give traffic, collision, and safety warnings by using V2V, V2X, etc.
The diagnostics services provide the driver with automobile diagnostics, predictive diagnostics, health reports, and even parking apps to park safely with the help of a smartphone.
Other features of a Connected Car include engine-style controls, ADAS and steering for parking, and remote apps used for various functions such as geofencing and valet monitoring. Drivers can also make payments through a drive-through and get text alerts.
The navigation system of a Connected Car enables the driver to check not only real-time weather but real-time traffic.
Another important feature of Connected Car technology is the eCall functionality, which has an easily accessible button and lets drivers and emergency service authorities communicate using a two-way communication link.
The eCall automatically gets triggered and contacts authorities if there is a collision and the driver is unable to communicate.
The Connected Car technology can spare lives, save fuel, and make driving considerably more efficient. RPMAnetworks Connected Car solution is specifically designed with a wide range of unique features from seat belt alerts to speed monitoring. Among the other prominent features are:
- Usage-Based Insurance
- Virtual Vehicle Impound
- Emergency Vehicle route indicator
- eCall
- Data Analytics and Data Feed
