We are officially in the digital transformation era and the IoT devices have become one of the hottest in the industry. The automotive sector is the perfect fit for the IoT because this helps vehicles turn smarter. The speed with which development of vehicles are unfolding is partly due to the demand and the number of competitors in the IoT app development market. The sector is now looking at enhanced convenience, comfort, maintenance and transport safety.
Here are seven of the top reasons that justify investments in IoT automotive apps.
- Natural partner to the concept of connected machines
One of the very recent and popular developments has been the Tesla automobile supported by the IoT. Way back in 2014 Tesla announced the rollout of a car that was supported by many IoT features. An app framework permitted developers to build apps that would work with the car. The car was loaded with features that offered information about the performance and the utilization of energy, braking effectiveness, Geolocation and a host of other useful information.
- Cars have transformed into machines that work with advanced software
Cars are not more the typical mean machines that get tuned at a garage or workshop. They are advanced machines with latest software and automotive technology. As a result, modern day cars possess the capability to update the service center about a problem in the car, which will receive a response from the service center. Depending upon the need, the service center may call in the vehicle for servicing or may dispatch a team to carry out repairs or replacement of defective components.
- Self-driving vehicles
In Europe, a convoy of self-driving trucks moved across borders as part of a challenge, though the trucks did have drivers onboard the vehicles. Computers and connectivity between the six trucks ensured that the trucks moved smoothly in a convoy across Europe to their destination safely, with drivers only taking over the driving at times. One of the advantages that were seen in this demonstration was the ability to conserve fuel and prevent accidents. The trucks were able to communicate to each other at high speed and maintain a very short distance with each other. This helped the driverless trucks to react quickly to the turns and obstacles on the road. With a smooth movement, the trucks were able to collectively cut down on fuel emission by as much as 10%.
- Fixing problems remotely
Another famous example is also that of Tesla, where car owners received a fix over the air. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued two recall announcements. The problem related to a safety aspect that had a high risk of a fire breaking out. Here, Tesla’s cars were fixed over the air, with owners not having to drive them to a service center. The fixes happened without interrupting the routine of owners. The problem was resolved ‘over the air’ while the cars were parked in the garage at home or at a parking lot in the office.
- Vehicle to Infrastructure technology will improve road safety
With a large number of cars, especially high-speed models on the road, it is necessary to have systems that help in preventing accidents with an advanced warning for preventing collisions. The Vehicle to Infrastructure technology that has been demonstrated in many vehicles is a case in point. This will help drivers with an early warning to prevent accidents. More often than not, the lack of reflexes or a split second delay is all that it takes for things to go wrong on the road. With V2I technology this is all set to change.
- Telematics to prevent car thefts
While engine immobilizers have been around for quite some time, car thieves have found a way to beat the technology, indulging in sensational car thefts of high-end vehicles. Telematics and IoT working together are expected to offer solutions to prevent car theft by pinpointing the locations of vehicles and controlling access to the vehicles. The advanced apps that are finding their way to the market will make it nearly impossible to steal a car in the near future.
- A Better connected world
The world and all the devices are slowly getting connected into an intelligent grid to improve performance and cut down on time spent for individual actions. This massive integration is slowly happening and it will not be very long before intelligent cities will have a vast grid of integrated and interconnected devices, from street lights to appliances, to wearable devices and diagnostic tools. And in this connected world, automotive apps will find an important place. This will make it easier for technology to transmit an occupant’s expected time of arrival. This will find greater use among the hospitality industry and also among individuals who can then plan accordingly. Route changes for vehicles involved in medical emergencies will become a lot easier depending on the information collected from all connected vehicles in moving traffic.
Final Thoughts
The speed of developments in IoT automotive apps makes the future exciting. Cars have transformed from simple vehicles of transportation to infotainment packed vehicles that are a lot smarter and connected. It would have been hard to imagine a few decades back that a navigation app can help drivers to smoothly find their way to any place in the world, without having to know the local language.
The turn by turn instruction has transformed the way people reach a destination. Similarly, the future is exciting in IoT automotive apps and it certainly makes a lot of sense to invest in the apps. The performance of vehicles can improve up to a point, but beyond a point, it would not be possible to make it any better. But the experience inside the vehicle and the various aspects of safety and convenience can be improved as technology moves into the next generation. Investing in IoT automotive apps will prove to be a wise decision, considering the demand and the shape of the future.