Have you ever wondered how connected cars work? It uses IoT technology.
Internet of Things (IoT) uses electronics, actuators, gateways, platform hubs, and connected sensors to monitor and control an environment along with the objects and devices within it over a wireless network. Connected objects and devices share data and work together without humans operating them. It is a technology that is changing lives in a mind-blowing way. You can see it in wearable technology, smart cities, automated homes, and connected cars.
The connected car today can measure physical health indicators, control air temperature, and evaluate engine performance with only a few clicks. Because of the IoT’s ability to make way for advanced technologies, such as the ones you see in connected cars, it is expected to grow to a $5.5 to $12.6 trillion industry by 2030, according to global management consulting firm McKinsey and Company. However, IoT in the automotive industry is not limited to these applications.
This article aims to show you how IoT is used in the automotive industry today and its other applications in the industry.
Connected Cars
While today’s connected car can intuitively monitor a vehicle’s physical health, temperature, and engine performance, advancements will allow it to communicate with other vehicles, prevent accidents, reduce traffic congestion, and predict travel time and weather conditions, among many other things. To perform all of this, cars will be connected over CV2X, an IoT network that connects smart vehicles and transport systems.
A CV2X, or cellular vehicle to everything, network accelerates fast data transmission, enhancing vehicle communication with other vehicles and other objects. It is divided into four connection categories.
Vehicle to vehicle (V2V) connection. It enables vehicles within range to share information, mainly about dynamics, speed, and location. This allows emergency vehicles, like fire trucks and ambulances, to easily navigate traffic. More importantly, it helps prevent accidents.
Vehicle-to-network (V2N) connection allows vehicles to connect to the weather forecast and smart transport systems. This lets drivers know about an accident on the road or sudden changes in weather conditions, so they can re-route to avoid delays. This also allows drivers to operate GPS or music systems using voice commands.
Vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) connection enables vehicles to identify other vehicles and road infrastructures such as toll booths, lane markings, and traffic lights.
Vehicle to pedestrians (V2P) connection allows pedestrians to connect to a CV2X network. This connection can be used to locate nearby taxis and change traffic signals.
Automotive Maintenance System
Sensors embedded in car components allow predictive analytics to inform drivers if they will soon require maintenance or repair. This means that you can take the necessary steps to prevent your car from breaking down early on. You will be alerted of malfunctions even before they occur. This will help you apply time-saving and cost-effective measures to prevent component failure.
Predictive maintenance holds a lot of promise as it’s one of the most anticipated IoT technologies. Hopefully, in the future, carmakers and software developers will also enable vehicles to predict when car interior and exterior will require detailing or other preventive maintenance measures.
The supply chain sector can benefit a lot from this feature, too. Logistics companies can improve their fleet management using IoT’s automotive maintenance systems. And with V2N connections, drivers can improve their routes, which results in the more efficient delivery of goods.
Autonomous Vehicles
There are still no fully autonomous cars to date, but there are already models that offer a certain level of autonomy. Experts, however, expect fully autonomous cars to be available as early as 2025, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
IoT technologies will enable autonomous vehicles to control operations without human intervention, reducing the load from drivers. This will prevent accidents on the road and make driving safe and comfortable. To accomplish this, autonomous vehicles are set to use IoT’s V2I connection.
Vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) connections will be essential for the efficient and safe use of transport systems in the future. It will facilitate the use of electric vehicles and shared mobility.
The Challenge for Auto Makers
It’s exciting to think about a future with an improved driving experience and safer roads. Carmakers shouldn’t lose sight of these goals if they want to use IoT technologies when developing new cars for the consumer market. For now, though, everybody still has to wait until fully autonomous, connected cars are manufactured.
