‘Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Technology has been taking over in almost every field reducing human error and making lives easier. In the automotive field also, advancements in tech have led to some great innovations. One such is the ‘Connected Car Technology’. For the world, this tech has been in play since 1996, but India was able to experience it last year in 2019 when Hyundai launched the Venue with Bluelink tech. But what exactly is the ‘Connected Car Technology’?
What exactly is Connected Car Technology?
In 1996, GM’s Vauxhall came up with technology under the name of OnStar connected tech. Through this system, the car was able to communicate with emergency services if the car meets any sort of accident and the airbags are deployed.
This was the first technology with the connected car feature. So this tech basically means that the car can communicate within a local area network using multiple devices. It uses the range of onboard sensors and systems. Connected cars have features like automotive diagnostics, voice command, gesture control, vehicle tracking, roadside assistance and much more.
How is the Connected Car Tech beneficial?
Won’t you want to start your car before entering it and switch on the air conditioning on a hot summer day so that when you get to the car, it’s cooled? Or don’t you want the windows to be defogged before you embark on a journey on a cold winter day? Well, this and much more can be done with Connected Car Technology.
You can simply connect with your car using your smartphone. You can use the tech to start/stop your vehicle remotely, climate control, check maintenance report, find your car, share your location, operate using voice recognition, geo-fencing and much more.
This technology can prove to be vital in case of an emergency. Using this system, the car can connect with emergency service providers. This can help minimize the impact of the hazard. This is why the connected car tech is a boon for the automotive industry.
Connected Car Technology In India
India got its first car with connected technology in 2019. Hyundai launched Bluelink tech with the launch of the Venue. Later on, most of the cars from the manufacturer started having this tech.
MG also introduced Hector stating that it is India’s first Internet Car. The car came with the iSmart technology which can be operated using a smartphone application.
Tata Motors has also started equipping its cars with connected car technology. It offers onboard diagnostics, geo-fencing and much more using the app.
The Future
It is for sure that more and more cars will soon be equipped with connected car technology. As for now, consumers are also shifting towards this trend. In the near future, using this tech we can expect the cars to communicate between themselves, making the Self-driving cars a safer possibility. Using this tech, the cars can use the navigation feature and make a virtual image of their surroundings ensuring safer distance from other cars.
There is one drawback to this tech though. All the data that is being transferred using the OTA platform or the LAN is shared with the company as well as the service provider. So there is a chance of your data being misused. Companies are ensuring that this does not happen though. And talking about being so advanced, this tech is totally safe and cannot take over the controls of the car from you. So if you are afraid of your car becoming Tarzan the wonder car at night, don’t worry, this technology is just to make you ride safe and comfortable. So next time you think of buying a car, do check whether the car is equipped with the tech or not. And for any queries regarding this tech, let us know in the comments section below.
