The Shelby 1000 boasts wireless technology. AFP/Getty Images/Stan Honda
The pace of development in wireless automotive tech has increased over the last year as big names realize the money to be made from connecting cars to consumers’ mobile devices. Bluetooth technology is old news — developed in 1994 — and traditionally associated with the iconic earpiece street-goers and drivers don to communicate without holding their mobile devices. But its technology has been an integral part of developing the so-called internet of things. Connected cars bear growing appeal as they integrate with smartphones, and big players in tech are taking notice.
IBM and Sprint announced a partnership in early July to combine IBM’s data management with Sprint’s in-car technology. IBM has a heavy hand in the machine-to-machine game already, and its data management will combine with Sprint’s Velocity system to enable more communication, customization, and third-party app development for connected vehicles. Reports note that the integration of these two systems will allow for more customizable settings in the car as data can be stored in IBM’s cloud.
AT&T will also bring wireless connectivity to cars that host the Sirius XM radio service, heightening Wi-Fi capabilities inside cars, and more accurately diagnosing internal vehicle problems. The internet and telecom company has been making strides into the world of machine-to-machine communication for several months, launching two centers in June to develop technology focused on the internet of things. AT&T also revealed a partnership with Qualcomm at the Consumer Electronics Show in January to develop an ecosystem for future M2M applications. All of this progress will naturally behoove the company in its efforts to make the car one of those ecosystems.
These developments coincide with a research report forecasting the wireless car technology industry to rise to $1.6 billion in 2018, from $1.1 billion in 2012. Manufacturers and wireless providers will continue working together to develop in-car wireless technologies to connect to smartphones and other mobile devices. And the timing of it all introduces the growing focus on the vehicle’s mobile environment. It is sure to only increase in importance as more of the global population adopts smartphones, and the devices themselves appear to grow “smarter” as they connect with household objects — cars just being the first of many.
