By 2040, 90% of all new cars will be connected by IoT according to reports by the TechJury Review. IoT is currently used on the road for various functions such as predicting traffic, giving accident related updates and in vehicle maintenance.
With the ever increasing growth in its technical knowledge and exposure, consumers are now able to use smart technology to do a variety of things without necessarily being actively involved. The automobile industry has seen a significant increase in installed connectivity units in vehicles, which comes as no surprise seeing how useful the technology has proven to be. Below we look at ways IoT is revolutionizing the auto industry.
Predictive Maintenance Technology
Vehicles, just like any other machines, need to be repaired when broken or properly maintained for best performance. The IoT predictive maintenance technology works by collecting and analyzing data on the performance of various parts of an automobile. This data is then transferred to the cloud. The IoT diagnostic tools evaluate possible malfunctions in the car’s software or hardware and alert the vehicle user on what needs attention. These devices come in different designs and degrees of sophistication. Luckily, some, like the Bluetooth On-Board Diagnostic scanners which give on-the-spot diagnostics on malfunctions in vehicles are very user-friendly and easily connect to smartphones. IoT connectivity tools enable users to monitor their car’s performance thus preventing breakdowns and unscheduled repair visits.
Car Tracking
From a consumer’s perspective, not knowing your car’s status or location may sometimes have you worried about the unknown that could occur at any time and leave you stranded. Thankfully IoT based Car tracking solutions have been developed by various companies and are available commercially. These tracking solutions enable you to use GPS enabled devices to monitor your vehicle’s location. With these devices, you are able to go to a website where you can set limits for a driver and a map of your vehicle’s location and route. The website also allows you to set geographical limitations for your vehicle and also alerts you when the vehicle leaves the specified area. Such information has been used to safely teach young teens in the US how to drive with their guardians having full information on their whereabouts at all times for safety purposes. Vehicle tracking brings relief for it also comes with a recovery system for stolen vehicles.
Connected cars
Most Internet-enabled devices are able to access many IoT features. WiFi enabled devices have made it possible for millions of drivers to access IoT technology. These devices can also serve as hotspots thereby enabling vehicle to vehicle, vehicle to infrastructure and vehicle to device connections. Vehicle manufacturers have come up with infotainment systems containing WiFi local area networks (WLANs) that allow passengers to connect and use the internet on their devices throughout the ride. Vehicle to vehicle communication is especially important as it prevents cars from colliding. How? IoT connected cars can detect cars that are beyond the site of the driver, their speed, as well as their direction.
IoT technology has impacted immensely on the auto-industry and by the year 2021, Business Insider predicts there will be 77,080,000 connected cars. It has enabled drivers to save time and money from unnecessary garage visits thanks to diagnostic tools. It has made roads safer. It has also helped with better traffic management by allowing millions of drivers to access updates on busy routes or accidents on the road. Toyota, Daimler, Tesla, General Motors and BMW are the leading automobile manufacturers in the connected car push and even more companies are expected to jump on the bandwagon seeing how revolutionary IoT truly is.
