The evolution of mobile connectivity has accelerated at an unprecedented pace. From the foundational 2G that introduced cellular networks to the transformative 4G that revolutionised video streaming, each generation of mobile technology has brought profound changes. Now, with 5G, we are entering an era of “isolated connected solutions” such as 5G-enabled factories, campuses, and stadiums. But the future promises more — an interconnected world where everything from personal devices to city infrastructure is linked, creating what industry experts envision as a seamless “connected living” where we will be connected at the personal, community, and city levels.
Imagine a future where everything is connected, from personal devices to city infrastructure. In this interconnected world, even our cars will transform into vital nodes in a vast network.
Car as a Connected Living Hub
The idea that cars can be seen as mere transports from one place to another may be quite banal. They are to become part of a worldwide network of intelligent living spaces. Consider an auto that can autonomously transport you from one place to another, coordinate your personal agenda, order food/groceries, interact with Smart Home/Office/Hygiene devices, serve as a health check terminal, etc. This shift has made cars a goldmine for auto makers, capable of generating sustained revenues throughout the life time of the automobile. Arm connected cars no longer being simply solutions for continuously collecting data that supports fleet tracking and SME conformity. More advanced now, they undertake hundreds of tasks that were once exclusive to phones and open new worlds when one just presses a button.
Connected Living Ecosystem
One of the pioneering works named ‘Car as a Connected Living Ecosystem’ has predicted the market opportunity of vehicle connectedness at USD 568 billion by the year 2035. This means that manufacturers can get up to USD 1,600 per vehicle per year, which is almost 13 times what it currently is – USD 120. Many cars are integrated into this huge market and include those that can provide cheaper insurances, self driving services, energy management as well as acting as a health kiosk services vehicle.
OEM Initiatives and Industry Trends
With the shift towards a more connected and environmentally conscious form of transportation, automobile makers are actively rebranding themselves as key stakeholders within the growing landscape of connected lifestyle services. Many automotive manufacturers are no longer limited to simply improving their connected cars; they are looking for more extensive services like renewable energy production, energy storage, and V2G services that include automobile manufacturers like Stellantis, GM, Ford, Tesla, Hyundai. These plans are about a paradigm change in VC from traditional product enhancement to enabling new services, such as connected insurance starting with Tesla’s insurance initiatives.
In this context, Hyundai and Renault are two major players charging ahead in the specialised services in the health sector by introducing an in-car health monitoring solution with a brand called BeyonCa. At the same time, it can be stated that Tesla with GM and Ford takes the lead in the connected energy business. They are aiming at creating further structures for renewable electricity generation embrace systems that incorporate into the V2G functionality to boost the electricity efficiency of electric cars.
The connection between operating systems or applications present in the vehicles with the widely used video conferencing services like zoom that got the support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, is an example of the “office on wheels”. This development points to the fact that the future of the in-car experiences or interaction with the automobile and its systems, elements and components are set to resemble the operation of smart devices.