Autonomous cars may still be years away from mainstream implementation, but connected cars are very much with us. The modern car is increasingly becoming a mobile Internet of Things sensor-laden device, with substantial on-board computing power and communication systems dedicated to three wide areas: location of the vehicle, driver actions, engine diagnostics and vehicle operation (telematics); atmosphere (vehicle-to-everything or V2X communication); and occupants of the vehicle (infotainment). Many of these technologies, among others, use wireless infrastructure and, gradually, 5G technology.
While 5G networks for mobile operators are still a work in progress, the rate of implementation and launch is speeding up. According to iot experts, 61 operators have already launched one or more 3GPP-compliant 5G networks in 34 countries by the end of 2019.
Blog Contents
- Advancement of Vehicles
- The Connected Smart Cars of Today
- Role of IoT in Making Smart Cars More Connected
- Role of 5G in Autonomous Driving
- What is the Future?
- A Final Word
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Advancement of Vehicles
According to Mashable, the first true technological leap forward for cars came in 1911, when automotive companies started installing electric starters in vehicles. But after that, the real driver amenities began rolling in. In 1985, compact disc players began to pop up in automobiles, followed in 1994 by dashboard computer diagnostics and in 1995 by GPS navigation systems. Then, cars started featuring USB ports and Bluetooth connectivity in the 2000s, the latter of which was the real precursor to today’s connected cars.
The Connected Smart Cars of Today
Connected vehicles have flourished due to the IoT over the past few years. Automakers are currently attaching their cars in two ways: embedded and tethered. A built-in antenna and chipset are used by embedded cars, while tethered connections use hardware to enable drivers to connect to their cars via their smartphones. In addition, in today’s cars, smartphone connectivity is becoming widespread. Google Maps and other mapping apps, such as Waze, have been replacing GPS services that are built-in. Apps like GasBuddy show the driver wherein their area he or she can find the cheapest petrol. And the need for conventional or even satellite radio is eliminated by music applications such as Spotify and Google Play.
Speaking of self-driving vehicles, the next phase of IoT advancement is expected to be in transportation. And the transition has started already. Move one was the autopilot stop and go, which helps vehicles to drive in traffic queues by analyzing the lane in front of them and driving accordingly. Move two was the remote valet attendant, the ability to actually call a vehicle from a tablet, smartwatch, or key fob in a small room (such as a parking garage). Move three was a lane-changing highway autopilot that used blind spot technologies to change lanes.
Now we’re going to start getting into a very exciting point. Move four is cars having a driver behind the wheel but supplying them with an option to press a button to make the car drive itself. Move five would be fully autonomous cars – entirely driverless vehicles that do not need a driver or even a steering wheel.
Role of IoT in Making Smart Cars More Connected
For many factors, manufacturers are ramping up their connected vehicle activities. Online access in cars makes it easier for automotive makers to issue technological upgrades in real-time, which after a recall is incredibly significant. Second, to assess its performance and collect usage statistics on how drivers use their vehicles, automobile companies may use data from the vehicle. Finally, further integration offers more opportunities for automakers to cross-sell consumers for their goods and services.
Role of 5G in Autonomous Driving
One of the main advantages of 5G is that it will allow cars to interact with each other. This will open up the possibility of sharing data from current speed and destination to previous road conditions and directions. A car heading in one direction can share data with a car heading in the opposite direction automatically.
At stoplights and stop signals, vehicles will communicate. Drivers breaking red lights are going to become a thing of the past. In the long run, stoplights and stop signals may be entirely removed because driverless vehicles will organize their actions themselves. As self-driving vehicles can drive closer to each other, traffic jams will be reduced or eliminated.
So in this related car drive, which the automotive enterprises are leading the pack? There is no definite winner, but many companies are paving the way.
What is the Future?
The build-out of the 5G network is a vital aspect of allowing autonomous driving. One of the side effects of the Coronavirus is that more people operate from home, and there is a resulting rise in demand for bandwidth. This tremendous demand surge might lead to the construction of 5G considerably quicker than it would have been otherwise. The basis for autonomous vehicles would be laid by such a build-out.
There won’t be a transition to self-driving vehicles overnight; it will be incremental. In the unique situations in which it will save lives, we do have lane assistance and other systems intended to take over control of the vehicle.
With time, these systems will change, new technologies will be added, and more and more commuting will be achieved progressively by vehicles. There will be a car made without a steering wheel at some point. Restrictions can occur.
A Final Word Your next new vehicle will not be self-driving, but it will be a portable multi-sensor IoT system that senses the surrounding environment and interacts with cloud-based platforms—probably electric and with 5G networking on board. This would make new business models in the automotive sector, keep drivers more aware and more efficiently aided in managing road and traffic conditions, possibly resulting in a well-managed traffic flow and fewer injuries. Global Tech Council offers the best iot courses, don’t forget to check them out!