Skip to main content

Gartner says connected car production to grow rapidly over next five years

Connected car production is growing rapidly in both mature and emerging automobile markets, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Forecast: Connected Car Production, Worldwide. The production of new automobiles equipped with data connectivity, either through a built-in communications module or by a tether to a mobile device, is forecast to reach 12.4 million in 2016 and increase to 61 million in 2020.
October 7, 2016 Read time: 2 mins

Connected car production is growing rapidly in both mature and emerging automobile markets, according to the latest forecast by 2177 Gartner, Forecast: Connected Car Production, Worldwide. The production of new automobiles equipped with data connectivity, either through a built-in communications module or by a tether to a mobile device, is forecast to reach 12.4 million in 2016 and increase to 61 million in 2020.

Gartner defines the connected car as an automobile that is capable of bidirectional wireless communication with an external network for the purpose of delivering digital content and services, transmitting telemetry data from the vehicle, enabling remote monitoring and control, or managing in-vehicle systems.

"The connected vehicle is the foundation for fundamental opportunities and disruptions in the automotive industry and many other vertical industries," said James Hines, research director at Gartner. "Connected vehicles will continue to generate new product and service innovations, create new companies, enable new value propositions and business models, and introduce the new era of smart mobility, in which the focus of the automotive industry shifts from individual car ownership to a more service-centric view of personal mobility."

Connected car technology will create opportunities for automakers to generate post-sale profits through sales of additional services and feature upgrades, as well as enhance brand loyalty through a more personalised customer experience. It will also enable innovations in adjacent businesses, such as insurance, car rentals, car- and ride-sharing services, and electric vehicle charging.

Gartner predicts that future connected car applications will drive a 150 percent increase in demand for contextual information, such as image detection and geolocation, from 2016 through 2020.

"As cars become more automated, they are being equipped with an increasing array of sensing technologies, including cameras and radar systems," said Mr. Hines. "Many automobiles will use image detection as the primary means to identify and classify objects in the vicinity of the vehicle so they can provide more sophisticated responses and even have autonomous control."

To become more automated, and also cleaner, automobiles will require five percent more embedded processing functions, year over year, from 2016 through 2020. Automated driving functions, such as adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance and lane departure warning systems, necessitate real-time camera and sensor data processing and pattern recognition. Improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions necessitate sophisticated engine and transmission control systems.

Related Content

  • December 18, 2015
    Profitable niches in the electric vehicles market
    Vehicles are electrifying at a breakneck speed and they are being completely reinvented with developments in many components and systems, according to a report by IDTechEx Research. Disruptive change and significant technological innovation is now being seen across all forms of electric vehicles for land, water and air. The fruits of all this are spectacular – from the vehicles themselves to over US$500 billion market opportunity that will be created by 2026. IDTechEx Research analyses and forecasts eve
  • April 30, 2020
    Intelligent powertrains could make cost cuts
    Intelligent vehicle powertrains could be a way of making substantial cuts in operating costs and emissions. David Crawford looks at some far-reaching initiatives in Europe and North America
  • February 1, 2012
    Next Generation 911, updating the US 911 emergency system
    Continuing developments in telecommunications and public expectation have left the US's legacy, analogue 911 emergency call system trailing. Linda D. Dodge, Public Safety Program Manager for the ITS programme in USDOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration, the sponsor of the Next Generation 911 initiative, writes about efforts towards updating
  • March 31, 2017
    Smartphone solution for parking performance
    Automated parking offers optimised space utilisation and fewer damage complaints as David Crawford discovers. As cars become smarter, technology designed to make parking them more straightforward is developing in parallel. In turn, it is becoming clear that the places where vehicles spend much of their time will need to respond – more comprehensively than by supporting established aids such as smartphone-based parking location and reservation, or payment for time used.