Technical Insight
SOFTWARE, NOT HORSEPOWER, WILL DIFFERENTIATE CARS OF THE FUTURE DR. HANS PUVOGEL Parkopedia
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he way in which vehicles interact with drivers’ daily lives is changing. The rapid growth of connected vehicle technology has dramatically changed the way in which vehicles are designed, developed and manufactured, with code and computing power now becoming the fundamental focus of next-generation vehicles. The global connected vehicle market is expected to treble in size by 2027 to $49bn. Leading automotive manufacturers are already exploring how to capitalise on both the technology and growing demand, with 100% of new vehicles currently being
16 | Telematics Wire | April 2022
built in Europe and North America being ‘connected’. In fact, every second vehicle on US and European roads in total will be connected by 2025, with China and Japan to follow shortly after, according to PWC’s 2021 Digital Auto Report. Automakers, who have previously differentiated themselves from each other by their mechanical features, such as horsepower and torque, now have an opportunity to look to integrated software solutions to appeal to consumers who are increasingly looking for their vehicles to provide valuable features, that not only complement their daily lives with
driver-assistance features, but also tailor these services to their individual needs. VW Group CEO, Herbert Diess, recently commented that the German marque will have to “completely change to a digital company”, if it’s to remain competitive in a fast-changing market, and that the VW of the future won’t simply just make cars, it will have to continually develop software to run them as devices. Drivers are looking for automakers to provide the technology necessary to ensure positive future user experiences, such as finding real-time available parking and EV charging, frictionless in-car commerce
