Connected vehicles will save time for drivers

Connected cars could benefit European Union countries to the tune of 50 billion euros. The reduction of accidents and accessibility are two additional strengths of these vehicles. Any weaknesses? Cyber security, privacy and regulation, but they should still continue to thrive

The European Commission estimates that by 2022 member states will benefit from 50 billion euros thanks to connected cars. This profitability goes hand-in-hand with the importance that major automotive companies are giving to vehicle connectivity. According to estimates from Counterpoint, there are currently 46.3 million connected vehicles in the world, a figure that will grow to 125 million vehicles by 2022.

This commitment to connectivity is mainly being led by companies like General Motors, which occupies 46% of the current market; BMW, with a 20% share; Audi, with 14%; and Mercedes-Benz, which represents 13%. In the coming years, the markets that will grow the most will be China and Europe. All of this will be driven by the development of 5G as a guarantor of faster connections that are able to withstand many points of contact at once, as can happen in an area with a high volume of connected vehicles at the same time.

In the case of Europe, this increase in connectivity is being boosted by eCall, an emergency system that has been mandatory in the EU since April 2018. This assistance device detects an accident through sensors on the vehicle and automatically calls the emergency services. According to European Commission calculations, such early warnings can reduce the number of deaths by at least 4% and the amount of serious injuries by 6%.

In addition to safety, these vehicles offer other advantages such as saving up to an hour’s driving time per day thanks to their GPS devices. Can you imagine getting into the car knowing that it is going to save you the morning traffic jam?

However, not everything is black and white when we talk about connected cars. Although the opportunities that these vehicles open up sound very interesting, you also have to take into account the risks that they pose. Connectivity will have to face up to cyber security and the protection of personal data that a connected car may store.

Opportunities

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) points out that connected cars will reduce “fuel consumption – and with it, CO2 emissions – traffic will be safer and roads will be used more effectively, reducing congestion”. However, connected cars also have other advantages to take into account:

Advantages of connected cars

Accessibility

The ACEA emphasizes that connected cars can implement developments that make them accessible to people with reduced mobility. A study by the American Association of People with Disabilities points out that this type of vehicle represents hope for the future for people who have not been able to drive traditional cars. In the same way, older people may also benefit from connected cars because they have sensors and automation.

Predictive maintenance

How many times have you gone to your trusted mechanics’ workshop because you know that something is wrong with your car, but you can’t identify the problem? Connected cars are able to detect when something is happening and alert the driver. In this way, our vehicle could warn us of the fact that the oil needs changing, the clutch needs checking, or that too much time has passed since the last service.

Reconfiguring the insurance world

Currently, insurance policies take into account a driver’s age or gender. Connected cars could open the door to a new way of configuring insurance. The amount of data that they can obtain from a driver and the way they drive could lead insurers to offer personalized policies that are adapted to the needs of each driver.

Reduction of social costs

Among the various benefits that the European Commission attaches to connected cars is the reduction of social costs. The European institution believes that by reducing road traffic accidents and improving the effectiveness of roads, social costs will also be reduced. So, according to the EC, connected cars could be responsible for significant savings in healthcare.

Risks

Despite the advantages of connected cars and the opportunities that arise in a scenario in which connected cars occupy the roads, experts from the automobile sector warn that they also pose certain risks. Beyond creating a common front for the regularization of this type of car, cyber security concerns both users and manufacturers.

Distractions

With cars that incorporate screens, it is increasingly easy to imagine the amount of things we could do inside a car – from checking your email to looking for an alternative route with less traffic or watching a video. These types of activities, which would barely take us a few seconds, could be very dangerous behind the wheel. Is in the hands of autonomous driving to limit the risk of these distractions.

Theft of personal information

In an article published in Forbes magazine, Michael Xie, CEO of Fortinet, a company dedicated to cyber security, explained that he had never known anyone who left their credit card or phone inside the car when parked in a public car park. It is something similar that we are exposing ourselves to with connected cars. These vehicles will have access to our personal data in the same way as a smartphone does today. The industry must guarantee users that their personal data are secure.

Hacking

Connectivity brings with it the risks of the Internet, including hacking.  Can our vehicle’s manufacturer guarantee that the images from our windshield have not been altered? Establishing standard safety parameters will be key so that, although there are several stakeholders, users can be safe.

Sharing information with third parties

Privacy is another risk that arises with connected cars. Will we be able to decide who we give our data to? Giving the user a voice to choose which data they want to share and what uses they authorize is fundamental to ensuring the privacy of connected car drivers.

Finally, the ACEA believes that, in order to address these risks, the following six points are key:

1. Promoting a culture of cyber security.

2. Establishing cyber security as a life cycle in the development of the vehicle.

3. Evaluating security functions during test phases.

4. Managing up-to-date security policies.

5. Responding to incidents.

6. Improving the exchange of information among industry players.

It is clear that connected cars can bring significant advances to society. However, in order to ensure that the risks are minimized and the benefits are amplified, we need all actors involved to work together so that the industry can respond to the concerns of future passengers of connected cars.