As the aftermarket segment has adapted to the connected car ecosystem, subscription-based models and mobile apps are likely to gain prominence. The features and services of these vehicles will also be modeled as aftermarket packages instead of being bundled or sold individually.
In cases of emergency, the mobile platforms will offer assistance through remote maintenance. Integrated with the car’s web application platform, a mobile operating system can alert OEMs to requirements and help generate support requests. While illegal access to critical data and operating systems could well emerge as an issue in this process, an enhanced automotive cyber security plan can prevent this eventuality.
With cybersecurity concerns at bay, sensors provided by the car’s integrated hardware board design can be used to collect data in real time. This data will be essential for performing long-term evolution (LTE) laboratory tests to ensure protocol compliance. One of the main objectives of the mobile Internet of Things (IoT) is to facilitate the commercial availability of low power wide area (LPWA) solutions in licensed spectrum: more application with less effort, within the parameter of the applicable regulation. Proofs of concept and demonstrations done over time in the lab can be used to nail down a particular solution and ensure LPWA requirements are met. However, for the safety and economy of automobiles, advanced electronic designs such as automatic brakes, collision avoidance functions and fuel saving systems will be of paramount importance.
From an aftermarket point of view, advanced systems engineering will improve overall vehicle management by essentially generating log books from different types of data. Once insights are drawn from user-specific data, such as individual driving patterns and real-time metrics for vehicle performance, OEMs will be poised to introduce customer-centric solutions.
With the average age of US road vehicles reaching 11.6 years in 2016, all signs point to continued strength in the aftermarket segment. Efficient, digitally driven value-added services will generate significant revenue and ensure customer loyalty. A leading multinational company has unveiled an aftermarket connected car solution, which aims to provide aftermarket business models to efficiently engage with customers, dealers, financiers, insurers and OEMs.
The future lies in the convergence of digitization, connected devices, and increased network capacity. A confluence of these concepts will transform the way after-sales services can be delivered. Today’s IoT-driven manufacturing ecosystem already leverages sensors at various stages of the production process to collect and record real-time information and updates. With increased connectivity, the data captured can be used to compare operating models with digital simulations of an ideal work system.
Provably, ensuring access to relevant technologies, such as sensors, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence, is crucial for vendors and OEMs. For a long time, semiconductors were used especially in the consumer electronics sector. However, the rise of the automobile network, fueled by the growing connected aftermarket services it enables, has led to the adoption of semiconductor technology in the automotive industry.
In April 2016, the European TRACE project was launched to ensure the safe use of semiconductors in the automotive sector. In addition to major car manufacturers and suppliers, the project also includes semiconductor companies.
Digital technology is clearly changing the way OEMs and suppliers interact with commercial and personal vehicle owners, which in turn presents limitless possibilities for the rapidly expanding aftermarket.
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