In recent years, there has been a surge in the adoption of cellular Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity in the automotive industry. This technology has opened up a world of possibilities and has the potential to transform the way we interact with our vehicles. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits and challenges of cellular IoT connectivity for automotive and the impact it is having on the industry.
What is cellular IoT Connectivity ?
Cellular IoT connectivity involves the use of cellular networks to connect vehicles to the internet. This enables a wide range of features and functionalities, such as real-time data transmission, remote diagnostics, software updates, and much more. It allows vehicles to communicate with each other, with infrastructure, and with cloud-based platforms, opening up a new era of smart and connected cars thanks to IoT SIM Cards and M2M (Machine-To-Machine) datas plans.
Benefits of Cellular IoT Connectivity for Automotive
ENHANCED SAFETY
One of the key benefits of cellular IoT connectivity in automotive is enhanced safety. Vehicles equipped with this technology can communicate with each other and with traffic infrastructure (V2V, V2I and V2X), enabling features like collision avoidance, emergency braking, and traffic optimization. This connectivity also facilitates the transmission of real-time data, such as road conditions and weather updates, to ensure safer driving for all.
IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AND CONVENIENCE
Cellular IoT connectivity enables vehicle-to-cloud communication, which opens up a range of possibilities for improved efficiency and convenience. With real-time data transmission, vehicles can optimize their routes, avoiding traffic congestion and saving fuel. Drivers can also benefit from connected services such as remote vehicle diagnostics, predictive maintenance, and over-the-air software updates, eliminating the need for physical visits to the dealership.
TRANSFORMING THE USER EXPERIENCE
Connected cars equipped with cellular IoT connectivity are transforming the user experience. Drivers can access a wide range of services and applications inside the Infotainment System, such as streaming music, navigation assistance, and voice-controlled virtual assistants, even while on the move. Passengers can stay connected to their personal devices, enjoying seamless integration with the vehicle's infotainment system. This connectivity is unlocking a new level of comfort and convenience, making driving more enjoyable for everyone.
Challenges and Considerations
While the benefits of cellular IoT connectivity for automotive are significant, there are also challenges and considerations that need to be addressed.
NETWORK COVERAGE AND RELIABILITY
One of the main challenges is ensuring widespread network coverage and reliable connectivity. As vehicles rely on cellular networks, any gaps in coverage or connectivity disruptions can impact the functionality and usability of connected services. Collaborations between automotive manufacturers and cellular network providers are crucial to address these challenges and ensure seamless connectivity for all vehicles.
SECURITY AND PRIVACY
With increased connectivity, security and privacy become critical considerations. Connected vehicles are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, and unauthorized access to personal or confidential data is a significant concern. Automotive manufacturers and IoT service providers must implement robust security measures to protect against these threats and ensure user confidence in the technology.
Looking for a solution
To keep up with the market growth, car manufacturers need a solution that would allow them to utilize the growth points and circumvent the problems related to connectivity.
The GSMA has recently published its SGP.32 IoT eSIM remote provisioning standard, which will help car manufacturers solve some of the problems with compliance by making over-the-air updates much easier. By eliminating the hurdles that extended time-to-market and made deployments cumbersome, it is sure to accelerate the connected car market growth, but it’s going to take some time to complete all specifications for devices, so the standard is likely to be available for use only in 2024.
There is also a promise of low-latency high-bandwidth connection from 5G cellular connectivity, though it’s far from being ubiquitous yet and the rate of its rollout is somewhat slower than initially expected. However, when it’s done, it will likely lead to expansion of service offerings and improved quality, and 5G’s fast, reliable connectivity is anticipated to be a driver for the connected car ecosystem’s success and pave the way for vehicle-to-everything applications and data-rich services such as autonomous driving.
Move&Connect’s solution
Our connectivity solution ensures a global access to reliable and high-quality internet, with low latency and the best of class coverage. It provides secure and continuous internet connection, delivering a streamlined, centralized, and scalable means of deploying, controlling and monitoring connected car fleets.
Our distributed core network with local breakouts, multiple network solution, and data server redundancy can provide car manufacturers connectivity stability and low latency. It also allows for all types of localization – from IP traffic that remains in the country to designated profiles for emergency calls, so it’s easy to comply with local and regional connectivity regulation requirements.
Our eSIM solution ensures failover connectivity with the capability of using multiple mobile carrier profiles, easily changing carriers at any time with zero integration, and an option to fall back from a failing profile to a different profile without any need to communicate with a remote server. Our eSIM is aligned with the GSMA SGP.32 IoT eSIM specification, which means it will be fully compatible with the new standard when it becomes ubiquitous.
Move&Connect also offers a centralized way to manage eSIMs throughout their lifecycle, making deployments future-proof and eliminating the problem of ever-changing legislation on connectivity and data protection. With our solutions, car manufacturerscan set up business rules that would allow connected cars to change the serving carrier automatically under specific conditions, such as location, loss of connectivity or even after a certain amount of time, which can be of use for cars shipped to some markets.
Our solutions help car manufacturers overcome their connectivity problems and reduce time to market for global deployments, providing the benefits of roaming with multiple carrier options in every country, and seamless transition between carriers, while maintaining low rates and low latency on a global scale.
