‘Connected Cars’ Are Driving Exponential New Business Opportunities

Connected cars with wireless Internet access will soon become all the rage on the road—boosting business not just for auto manufacturers, but also for technology vendors, mobile operators and even retailers that use GPS to pitch targeted marketing messages when drivers come close to their stores.

Internet apps on car dashboards are optimizing vehicle performance and providing drivers with enhanced navigational services, automatic notification of crashes, notification of speeding and safety alerts. roadside assistance, parking information, engine controls and car diagnostics.

“According to McKinsey, one in five cars will be connected to the Internet by 2020.”

But that’s not all: drivers and their passengers also are now leveraging Internet connectivity to receive a wide array of entertainment services and even shop online or receive marketing offers from nearby retailers.

According to McKinsey, one in five cars will be connected to the Internet by 2020, increasing as much as 30% each year for several years.

The explosive trend will dramatically increase the global market for connectivity components and services nearly sixfold, to roughly $10 billion by 2020, McKinsey says, and also will likely “significantly alter the competitive landscape.”

“Companies from the software and telecommunications sectors are already entering the automotive market, and…original-equipment manufacturers need to act now to secure control over critical industry sectors,” the authors wrote.


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