‘Connected Vehicles 2018’ to be held in Bangalore on March 14-15

The automotive industry the world over is witnessing transition and also disruption. The car of today is a veritable computer on wheels and a huge change from what it used to be a decade ago but this change is far from over. In fact, industry has reached a turning point from where the pace of change will be more brisk and transformative. At present, the automotive industry is being shaped by megatrends like autonomy, connectivity, electrification and shared mobility.

The autonomous car has emerged as priority for almost all leading vehicle manufacturers, who are working to develop these technologies and are optimistic about launching autonomous cars in the coming years. Features like lane departure warning systems, brake assist, smart navigation systems, parking and traffic assist and collision assist, among others, are now being made available as standard offerings by OEMs.

Interestingly, the new battleground for competition among automakers globally has shifted to the cockpit which has turned digital due to the proliferation of electronics and the consumer’s need for connectivity. More and more cars today sport digital cockpits laden with advanced infotainment features while in-car shopping and in-car payment are also gaining ground and a number of companies are adding these features in their cars.

Connectivity features like OTA (over the air update) updates are evolving as a standard feature but this has also increased the vulnerability of the car to cyber attacks, which is also evolving as a separate domain. Software content in the cars has increased massively and automakers are forming partnerships with the IT industry and also acquiring smaller companies and startups to gain competencies in this field. 

In India, the automotive industry is not untouched by these changes and most automakers here are also introducing connected car features in their products. This trend has seen OEMs collaborate across different domains. Tata Motors is working with Microsoft, Nissan India is collaborating with Pointer, Honda Cars India with IBM Watson, Minda iConnect with Microsoft India and Reliance Jio Infocomm with AirWire.

Connected vehicles, based on V2X (vehicle to everything) and V2V (vehicle to vehicle) communications offer benefits like reduced fatalities and fewer injuries. They enable the infrastructure to communicate with oncoming vehicles so that it can warn of road repair work or a reduced speed area. Connectivity also enables real-time data exchange among vehicles (DSRC) in the proximity which can assist in overtaking large vehicles amongst many other benefits.

Furthermore, the driving data generated from the sensors can be used to analyse ‘quasi-accident’ situations, where safety systems take over in an emergency situation to prevent an accident. Real-time traffic information can also be used to reduce congestion which has significant impact on the economy through losses in form of fuel costs as well lowering of productivity. Reduction in congestion and smoother traffic flow has a positive effect on the environment as well as a significant reduction of pollutant emissions.

Apart from these advantages, connected vehicle technologies also enable mapping services, in-vehicle infotainment, shopping on the go, connected office, remote diagnostics, and updating of car software in real time. In the coming years, connected vehicle technology will engender a whole new type of products and services operating on business models that have been non-existent till now.

Networking opportunity
To further the cause of connected vehicles, Telematics Wire in association with CoE-IoT| Nasscom is organising a national conference – Connected Vehicles 2018 on March 14-15 at Park Plaza, Bangalore.

It will be attended by experts across the automotive domain along with members from the senior bureaucracy, bringing in insights from their respective fields. Priyank Kharge, Minister of State 
for IT and Tourism, Government of Karnataka, is the chief guest. 

The guests of honour are Anjum Parwez, IAS, Secretary to Government (M&UDA) Urban Development Department, government of Karnataka; Sanjay Sahay, IPS
Additional Director General of Police, Karnataka Lokayukta, government of Karnataka; Raj Kumar Srivastava, APCCF & Advisor, Department of IT, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, government of Karnataka; and Debjani Ghosh, president designate, NASSCOM.

The two-day conclave will see over 50 speakers, 12 sessions and over 600 attendees comprising representatives of OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, insurers and technology providers in connected car technology. In addition, more than 40 companies will be exhibiting their products and technologies related to connected vehicles. 

The topics to be discussed and debated include:

- Connected cars: innovation driven by data
- In-vehicle infotainment for a hyper-personalized user experience
- Sync the smart car with the smart mobility
- IoT's impact on automotive and mobility
- Building cybersecurity standards & best practice
- Mapping technologies and traffic data for transportation
- Connected fleet telematics
- Enhancing the customer relationship through telematics
- Consumer electronics for connected vehicles
- Sustainable business model

Connected Vehicles 2018 will be a blend of new developments in the automotive industry and a networking opportunity for all stakeholders of the automotive industry. Autocar Professional is the official media partner for the conference. To register and for all others, http://telematicswire.net/conf/2018/blr/registration.html