4 CONNECTED LIFE
Connected Car: Safer, Greener and More Enjoyable Driving
Just as consumers want a connected life when they're at home, they want it while they're on the road as well. With data
connectivity, drivers can do more than just point the car where they want it to go: data can help them get places faster, spend
less money on gas, and travel in greater comfort.
Car manufacturers and government regulators also see value in connected cars, but for different reasons: connectivity
promises to improve safety and reduce polluting emissions. However, to meet the demands of both consumers and regulators,
automakers must equip cars with internet connectivity and sensor capabilities that can share information from many sources
inside and outside the vehicle. This means manufacturers must develop the quality connectors and sensors that make
connectivity possible, so that information can be exchanged both inside and outside the vehicle.
Here's how the automotive market is using connectivity to respond to trends in safety, the environment, and consumer
lifestyle preferences.
Auto Safety
More than one million people die every year in automotive accidents globally; car accidents are the most common killer of
people ages 10-24.
1
In addition, the number of motor vehicle deaths in the first half of 2016 is nine percent higher than the same
period in 2015.
2
To make cars safer, manufacturers and regulators are focusing on smart, connected technologies that can reduce traffic
fatalities and injuries, such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which can help drivers avoid collisions. Providing the
desired safety levels requires more networking of all onboard systems and sensors, as well as high data speeds. Connected car
systems must be capable of transmitting a full gigabyte of information per second under high-vibration conditions if they are to
be considered reliable.
To contribute to safety, connected cars must also share supplementary information from WLAN or mobile telecommunication
channels between the onboard electronic devices and the infrastructure (V2I) or other vehicles in the vicinity (V2V), which will
boost the decision confidence level of the ADAS.
1
Association for Safe International Road Travel: http://asirt.org/Initiatives/Informing-Road-Users/Road-Safety-Facts/Road-Crash-Statistics.
2
"Motor Vehicle Fatalities Up 9%; No Sign of a Decrease in 2016, says National Safety Council," National Safety Council,
August 23, 2016: http://www.nsc.org/Connect/NSCNewsReleases/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=134.
