With an annual output exceeding 70 million units, the automotive industry stands as one of the largest manufacturing sectors globally. An international report highlights that in 2017, the global revenue of the automobile sector reached a remarkable 3 trillion dollars, contributing to about 3.65% of the world’s combined GDP.
Despite this, the total annual vehicle sales have remained relatively stable since 2016. Each year, car sales hover between 75 to 80 million units, a trend observed over the past four years. A key factor hindering the industry from breaking its production and sales records is the scarcity of innovative features in vehicles. Modern consumers seek more than just the basic components of a car; they desire futuristic vehicles offering connectivity and interaction. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a pioneering technology aiding the automotive sector in creating a new generation of advanced vehicles.
The introduction of IoT in the automotive industry has opened up novel possibilities for both manufacturers and consumers worldwide. IoT’s application at industrial and consumer levels has turned the automotive sector into a focal point for diverse, multipurpose applications. From connected cars to autonomous transportation systems, IoT’s influence has significantly impacted the global automobile market.
3 Remarkable IoT Applications in the Automotive Sector:
1. Fleet Management:
Implementing IoT in the automotive sector has revolutionized fleet management. Modern trucks are now equipped with sensors for weight measurement, location tracking, and other functionalities.
The extensive sensory data collected from a fleet of such trucks is stored in a cloud-based system. This data undergoes various analytical processes and is presented in a visual format. Fleet managers can easily access this information to monitor various aspects of their fleet, benefiting from features like:
– Real-time location tracking
– Monitoring cargo weight/volume
– Vehicle performance metrics (fuel usage, mileage)
– Traffic condition updates
– Route optimization
– Time and driver management
2. Connected Cars:
The concept of connected cars has been evolving. Estimates by Gartner suggest that by the end of 2020, there will be over 250 million connected vehicles worldwide. These cars are linked through an IoT network, CV2X (cellular vehicle to everything), facilitating communication between vehicles and smart transport systems.
Connected cars enhance data transmission speed and improve driver response times through better vehicle-to-vehicle communication. The CV2X network is categorized into:
– Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V): Sharing data like location, speed, and dynamics between nearby vehicles to prevent accidents and aid emergency vehicles in navigating traffic.
– Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I): Connecting vehicles with road infrastructure such as traffic lights and toll booths to facilitate smoother traffic flow.
– Vehicle to Pedestrians (V2P): Allowing pedestrians to interact with the network via mobile apps for locating taxis or managing traffic signals.
– Vehicle to Network (V2N): Linking vehicles with systems like Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and weather forecasting for real-time updates on weather or road conditions, and enabling smartphone connectivity for in-car features like GPS and music systems.
3. Automotive Maintenance Systems:
Predictive analytics in IoT automotive is revolutionizing vehicle maintenance. Sensors in car components gather data, which is then analyzed to predict future performance issues.
The IoT-based automotive maintenance system alerts drivers about potential malfunctions, much like dashboard indicators, but with advanced warning. This proactive approach helps in making timely, cost-effective decisions to prevent component failures during operation. Predictive maintenance is invaluable for both individual vehicles and entire fleets, especially for long-haul vehicles, ensuring optimal performance and preemptive repairs.
Conclusion
The Internet of Things, in synergy with other advanced technologies, is driving a revolutionary change in the automotive industry. Developments in connected and autonomous vehicles, enhanced inspection and maintenance, new entertainment options, and long-range data transmission via vehicular telematics mark the rise of an IoT-driven fleet management system. The scope of IoT solutions in the automotive industry is expanding rapidly, paving the way for more sophisticated and interactive vehicle use cases, fundamentally altering our interaction with automobiles.