The automotive industry is undergoing significant transformation with the emergence of connected vehicles. This technological advancement revolutionizes how we drive, communicate, and engage with vehicles & the whole transporting ecosystem. Moreover, consumers’ interest in connected cars with advanced in-car features is also rising. This represents a significant shift from the past, where such features had limited interest and were not a deal breaker.
And what connected vehicles offer is more than just convenience. They have the potential to address long-standing commuting challenges like road safety and efficient transportation through the integration of modern communication technology. Projections suggest that by 2025, over 400 million connected vehicles will be on the road. This highlights the pivotal role of connected vehicles in driving innovation and enhancing safety within the automotive landscape.
In this blog, we aim to highlight the purpose of connected vehicles and emphasize their significance in improving road safety and transportation efficiency through their technological integrations.
What is a Connected Vehicle?
Connected vehicles are automobiles equipped with modern communication technologies and protocols. They use the internet and wireless networks to share and receive information with other devices, software systems, and road infrastructure. And this facilitates passengers to communicate beyond their vehicle and provides a novel commuting experience through advanced features.
Connected vehicles are furnished with various sophisticated components essential for their advanced communication capabilities. The Telematics Control Unit is at the core, which facilitates communication by integrating GPS for location tracking and wireless connectivity to exchange data with external networks and devices. In addition, these vehicles are equipped with an array of sensors, including radar, lidar, and ultrasonic sensors, along with cameras, all of which provide critical data translated into features like adaptive cruise control, autonomous parking, and collision avoidance systems. By working in tandem, these components ensembles a connected vehicle ecosystem, enhancing road safety, efficiency, and convenience.
Types of Vehicle Connectivity
Connected vehicles leverage various communication technologies, bridging the gap between automotive and the mere elements of the environment they cease to operate and instrumental in shaping the future of transportation. Here’s a breakdown of these types of connectivity in the automotive industry:
1. Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I)
V2I connectivity ensures vehicle security by constantly communicating with the road infrastructure. This two-way exchange of information equips the vehicle with real-time data such as weather conditions, speed limits, and incidents on the road, enhancing safety and efficiency.
2. Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V)
V2V communication systems enable real-time data sharing between vehicles, addressing critical safety concerns. Vehicles can exchange information to detect and react to potential hazards, contributing to a safer driving environment.
3. Vehicle to Cloud (V2C)
V2C connectivity relies on wireless LTE networks to establish a link between the vehicle and the cloud. It primarily facilitates Over-the-air (OTA) for functional vehicle updates, remote vehicle diagnostics and connecting with IoT, ultimately enhancing vehicle capabilities & performance.
4. Vehicle to Pedestrian (V2P)
The latest addition to connected vehicle communications, V2P technology lays a direct communication between vehicles and pedestrians through sensors and communication infrastructure to detect and alert drivers about the Vulnerable Road Users (VRU)and avoid potential accidents.
5. Vehicle to Everything (V2X)
V2X connectivity is an umbrella term encompassing all the previously mentioned types. It represents a holistic approach to connectivity, enabling vehicles to interact not only with other vehicles and infrastructure but also with pedestrians, cyclists, and the entire transportation ecosystem through IoT devices, such as smartphones or wearable devices, allowing them to communicate with vehicles and vice versa.
Enriching Safety and Efficiency through Connected Vehicles
Improving Road Safety and Accident Management with Vehicle Connectivity
In our world, where road accidents claim the lives of approximately 1.3 million people annually and leave millions more with non-fatal injuries, the integration of vehicle connectivity emerges as a critical tool in the automotive industry’s unwavering commitment to enhancing road safety. This is made possible through vehicle connectivity, which enables seamless communication between vehicles, external systems, and road infrastructure, rapidly exchanging vital information for road safety. Connected vehicle technology is forecasted to significantly decrease the number of accidents by as much as 20%.
Real-time Information and Advanced Safety Features
Connected vehicles offer drivers real-time updates on crucial external information such as climate conditions, ongoing traffic accidents, and potential road hazards. Being equipped with this invaluable data, drivers can make more informed decisions, whether adjusting their speed to suit road conditions or choosing alternative routes to minimize risks. Furthermore, vehicle connectivity introduces advanced safety features, encompassing technologies like blind spot monitoring, automatic parking assistance, and drowsiness detection. These features collectively minimise the margin of human error pertaining to road accidents.
Automatic Emergency Braking and Lane Departure Warnings
Connected vehicles complemented with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) significantly reduce accidents caused by human error by leveraging a sophisticated combination of powerful processors that utilize real-time data through sensors and other devices. This integrated system of components works in tandem to process and integrate substantial amounts of data such as Sensor Data, Vehicle Data, Environmental Data, Traffic Data, and Driver Behavior Data, providing an additional layer of safety. They can automatically engage the brakes in response to potential collisions, significantly reducing accident risks. Additionally, these ADAS-equipped vehicles actively monitor vehicle spacing and issue timely alerts when the vehicle drifts away from its lane. This functionality not only helps prevent lane departure accidents but also underscores the vital role of ADAS in enhancing driver awareness and road safety.
Predictive Analytics for Proactive Risk Assessment
Connected vehicles harness predictive analytics, a powerful technology that relies on data and advanced algorithms to anticipate potential risks and machine-related issues in advance. This proactive capability empowers drivers and vehicle providers to take timely measures, improving road and passenger safety and reducing maintenance costs.
Elevating Transportation Efficiency with Connected Vehicles
Connected vehicles are seamlessly integrated with Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and Traffic Monitor Controllers (TMC), encompassing a spectrum of advanced features and extended benefits. The vehicle with ITS and TMC communications are pivotal in elevating traffic management, enhancing road safety, and delivering real-time information to travellers through various communication technologies discussed earlier. Let’s delve into and break down the profound outcomes that improve overall transportation efficiency.
Optimising Traffic Flow, Safety, and Route Planning
Connected vehicles seamlessly connect with ITS and TMC, creating a dynamic network that acts as a virtual traffic control centre. This integrated system employs sensors, cameras, and RFID readers to monitor intersections and roadways actively. To visualise, we may think of it as a sophisticated traffic management hub that detects congestion, reroutes traffic, measures distances to destinations, and updates real-time road signs. This communicative network system minimizes traffic gridlocks, significantly enhances road safety, and ensures a smooth traffic flow.
Moreover, the collaboration extends to personalized route planning, utilizing advanced sensors and predictive algorithms to offer efficient, tailored routes based on real-time data, resulting in a cost-effective and convenient journey.
Fuel Efficiency and Eco-friendly Travel
Connected vehicle integration with ITS could result in optimized fuel consumption for automobiles. These systems rely on data-driven decisions, considering travel distance, road conditions, and live traffic insights to conserve fuel and reduce the environmental footprint.
Infotainment and Vehicle Health Monitoring
Beyond facilitating transportation efficiency, connected vehicles are redefining the commuting experience by bringing in in-vehicle entertainment and diagnostics. It’s like integrating your smartphone into your vehicle, offering features like online content streaming, voice-controlled functions, and seamless navigation. Vehicle owners can stay connected to their vehicles through smart mobile apps that provide the current vehicle health and performance status.
Key Vehicle Connectivity Trends in 2023
- Mercedes-Benz introduces the Acceleration Increase On-Demand upgrade for select car models, boosting performance by up to 80 hp and enhancing acceleration without affecting the electric range. Customers can conveniently access digital extras tailored to their preferences through the Mercedes Me Connect Store, reflecting a growing trend in connected vehicle customization.
- A recent trend in connected vehicles involving a shift to centralized architecture for ECUs, reducing high-end car ECUs from over 120 to less than 10. Further, the Edge Electronic Control Units (ECUs) positioned near sensors will remain to facilitate data acquisition, bolstering computational capabilities in the automotive domain.
- Recently, Mercedes-Benz has chosen to deliver more personalized in-vehicle experiences for their customers by integrating OpenAI’s ChatGPT with their proprietary MBUX system. This AI integration is focused on advancing human-vehicle interaction and connectivity while delivering more refined voice assistant functions backed by advanced NLP mechanisms.
In a nutshell, the landscape of connected vehicles is rapidly evolving, with various trends shaping the industry and redefining the market demands. As connected mobility flourishes with a series of innovations, SRM Technologies is helping automotive OEMs embrace SDV adoption and gain a strong footprint with our connected vehicle offerings like Digital Cockpit, Automotive OTAs, In-Vehicle Entertainment, Telematics and much more. Contact our automotive solution teams today to unlock the full potential of connected mobility for your automotive portfolio.
