Skip to main content

Connected and self-driving cars ‘poised for growth’

Autonomous vehicles will enter mass production by 2020 as more and more major auto makers in recent years have committed to their R&D, according to Topology, a division of TrendForce. Furthermore, the scale of the market will likely surpass a million vehicle mark by 2035. Eric Chang, analyst for Topology, stated the future development of autonomous vehicles will depend on the following technologies: sensors for reading biological data inside vehicle and environmental data outside; communication technology;
April 13, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
Autonomous vehicles will enter mass production by 2020 as more and more major auto makers in recent years have committed to their R&D, according to Topology, a division of TrendForce. Furthermore, the scale of the market will likely surpass a million vehicle mark by 2035. Eric Chang, analyst for Topology, stated the future development of autonomous vehicles will depend on the following technologies: sensors for reading biological data inside vehicle and environmental data outside; communication technology; and driver decision-making system. Every one of these technologies is indispensable to the industry.

With infotainment systems pushing new boundaries, new car models now come with a basic system based on the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) paradigm. Based on Topology’s projection, 75 per cent of the world’s cars will be connected by 2020, and the growth of IoV will bring in around US$2.94 billion in revenue. The direction of IoV research in developed countries is currently toward driving safety technology and emergency rescue features. Consumers, however, are mainly interested in the convenience factor.

Many big auto makers launched their automated driving systems products at this year’s CES. Fuelled by the efforts made by Google in its driverless car project, traditional car makers are eager to show the results of their research to the public. Besides automotive manufacturers, component manufacturers (311 Bosch and Denso) and semiconductor manufacturers (7865 Texas Instruments and 6367 Infineon) are also aggressively engaging in R&D of automated driving systems. Their approach is to enter this field with products such as sensors and driver assistance systems.

Advances in automated driver system will also drive developments in smart cars’ driving assistance systems and IoV-related technologies. Topology expects these products and services will become mainstream in the auto market during the period of 2015~2020. By then, advanced driver systems (ADAS) will be in the majority of vehicles. ADAS products that primarily alert the driver of potential accidents are likely to become the standard in all entry-level vehicles. Products that offer the ability to take over control of the cars, by contrast, will become optional purchases. As for the IoV market, the collaboration among different sectors will accelerate its growth. These collaborators include auto makers, semiconductor companies, governments (that are building ITS-related infrastructures), providers of ITS-related services (such as ETC), and telecom operators.

“The realisation of a driverless car depends on ADAS that provides excellent safety features and IoV that gives smart cars the ability to learn,” said Chang, “and only then can a truly automated driving system be put on the road.” Thus, the important step for companies working on automated driving systems is to have ADAS and IoV equipped in mass-produced vehicles.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Connected-car security market expected to reach US$759 million in seven years
    September 30, 2016
    With nearly 112 million vehicles now connected around the world, the global market for automotive cybersecurity is expected to grow exponentially – to US$759 million in 2023, according to a new report, Automotive Cyber-security and Connected Car, from IHS Automotive, part of business information provider IHS Markit. Connected cars are defined as those that have a connection to the internet, through telematics, an onboard modem or a paired device in the vehicle, such as a mobile phone or other device. One
  • Rapid growth makes Texas an incubator for tolling innovation
    September 8, 2014
    As the IBTTA’s annual meeting and exhibition heads for Austin, Mitchell Beer, president of Smarter Shift, considers the role of Texas in the development of tolling strategies and technology. The State of Texas has always prided itself on being ‘larger than life’. From the sprawling geography of the state itself with its wide open skies, to its entrepreneurial ‘get-it-done’ attitude, Texas exudes an impatient restlessness that pushes businesses and public agencies to deliver faster, better results. More ofte
  • Holding the line in the public interest
    October 5, 2016
    The pace of development and trials of driverless vehicles would lead many to believe they are the answer to all transportation problems. They are not – indeed self-driving cars will create more problems than they solve. Autonomous vehicle dominate the transport agenda because big business has launched a public relations battle to convince politicians, law makers and the public at large the driverless technology is unquestionably the solution to road deaths, congestion, poor air quality and other ills.
  • Google spin-off Waymo to open ‘world’s first Level 4 AV’ factory in Michigan
    January 28, 2019
    Waymo, the company that began as Google’s driverless car project, has pledged to open a facility in Michigan, US, to produce advanced autonomous vehicles (AVs). In a statement, Waymo insisted: “This will be the world’s first factory 100% dedicated to the mass production of Level 4 AVs.” Level 4 automation means that no human interaction is required, and the vehicle is able to adjust in the case of things going wrong – but there is an option for manual override. This is still some way from Level 5, in