Connected Vehicles Challenges
As we discussed in the previous article, technology is evolving rapidly, and the internet has changed the way people communicate and handle routine tasks. The world is ultimately connected, and the answers to the most intricate questions can now be found on the internet. From cars that did only the job of transporting people from one point to another now pull off feats unheard of before. They can talk to us and other cars, make autonomous decisions and do more. We also have driverless cars that have almost bridged the gap between science and imagination.
Connected vehicles attract tons of challenges and problems during and even post-development. While you may think that the problems mostly stem from external factors such as road safety, the reality is that the concerns are internal as well. For a connected car to do its job right, its devices such as sensors, imaging devices, embedded systems, circuits, cloud solutions and more should all be working intact and in tandem with each other.
With intelligent automation enabling businesses to catch opportunities and make fast moves to tap potential, a new future is being written for the automotive industry. Companies that have spent decades refining the art of vehicle production are currently also reinventing themselves. However, taking a realistic look at the connected car industry also reveals multiple challenges and roadblocks that will need to be addressed. Let’s have a look at some of them!
Legal Limitations
All regions have specific regulations which have to be taken into account. Mentioning Europe, all vehicles must be equipped with eCall, an emergency notification system. The U.S. and other countries are expected to follow suit. Foreseeing this and accepting the challenge can prepare manufacturers in advance, thus saving a lot of cost and time.
Data Privacy
The data privacy issue is being profoundly discussed and debated. Customers’ data is being shared with the car manufacturer and the mobile service provider. Currently, there’s little clarity on whether the carrier can or cannot share the data with external third parties for profit. In most cases, the automotive data is not protected and can be shared with third parties. For instance, data on media content we use in our car could potentially be shared with e-commerce representatives, facilitating targeted advertising on our digital devices.
Tracing The Location
Connected cars need to be connected not just to the internet but to the satellite for navigation and location tracking purposes as well. This enables drivers, fleet owners, and other stakeholders to trace the location of the vehicle and establish other safety protocols.
Apps’ Abundance
How many apps are enough? Car manufacturers are anxious about compromising safety by offering too many apps, which may cause driver distraction and open the company to additional liability. On the other hand, they need to do what it takes to remain competitive in the market. However, some companies have already come up with possible solutions, trying to meet the customers’ requirements and combine the necessary tools in one app.
Keeping Track of Car Health
One of the primary responsibilities of connected cars is to connect all the modules and components of a car and digitize them for optimum insights generation. When devices and sensors take over the responsibility of monitoring car and components health, they can consistently generate data and information on probable malfunctions, faults, errors in components, service requests, upgrade recommendations, and more. But for that to happen, connected cars need the right applications, processing algorithms, and hardware peripherals.
Multiple Languages
The role of advanced tech is to make life easier and be inclusive to its users. That's why regionalizing languages is essential. If a common language is deployed in this technology, people from around the world – from different cultural and geographical backgrounds – would find it difficult to use the technology. And with connected devices already coming with a significant learning curve, an additional barrier in the form of language will only add to the confusion.
Mindset Change
Why is mindset do critical? It’s high time the users embraced software-driven innovation: some people are still not aware or ready to pay extra for the connected services. However, we should bear in mind that technology has become an integral part of our surrounding, and the challenges of the modern life demands us to optimize driving as well.
Becoming Tech-Native
Car dealerships will need to become more tech savvy as they will have to spend more time with their customers showing them the advanced technology in their new vehicles. The dealership model will have to keep pace with the introduced changes, spending time and money getting new skills and knowledge.
Reliable Network
Another significant challenge for the automotive industry is achieving reliable connectivity. Maintaining broader coverage and network security are complicated and require an excellent understanding and long-standing relationship between automakers and mobile network operators. The smallest lapse in connectivity services can ruin the customer experience and could potentially lead to inappropriate reaction in case of emergencies.
Enormous Array of Information to Process
Big data is a considerable advantage when it comes to the Internet of Vehicles technology, but providers face significant challenges in managing the constant data flow. The more infrastructure goes online the faster and more reliable data processing will be required. Insufficient storage or network delays can hinder cloud computing and damage the system.
Connectivity features are introduced to redefine our relationships with our cars. The era of apps turned cell phones into multifunctional devices with unimaginable capabilities. What we need to overcome the major challenges is to focus on the consumer needs which is bound to dramatically change the automotive industry.
