Blog

With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G, the mobility of the future will be radically transformed by digitalization.

Vehicles that speak not only to each other, but also to roadside infrastructure, infotainment providers, and emergency services—delivering a driving experience that is safe, comfortable, customized, and enjoyable. Like a computer on wheels, connected vehicles may very well be one of the most significant advancements in the automotive industry in the last fifty years.

What are connected vehicles?

Gartner defines the connected vehicle as “an automobile that is capable of bidirectional wireless communication with an external network for the purpose of delivering digital content and services, transmitting telemetry data from the vehicle, enabling remote monitoring and control, or managing in-vehicle systems.” Through vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-device (V2X) connectivity, connected vehicles supply useful information to a driver, allowing him to make safer or more informed decisions.

What are the benefits of connected vehicles?

Increased driver and passenger safety
Driver and passenger safety is the most important benefit of connected vehicles. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1.35 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes. With connected vehicles, drivers will get real-time information on weather, traffic, accidents, and road conditions. They will be alerted to imminent crash situations—merging vehicles, sudden brakes, or a vehicle in the driver’s blind side. Through vehicle-to-infrastructure connectivity, they will be alerted if they’re entering a school zone, if the traffic light is about to change, or if there is roadside construction.

Connected vehicles will transmit, receive, and continually monitor signals from other vehicles and infrastructure, giving drivers “360-degree awareness of hazards and situations they cannot even see,” according to the Intelligent Transportations Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) of the United States Department of Transportation.

Improved mobility
Advanced navigation such as unsafe road ahead assistance, local and points of interest (POI) search, parking management, and multimodal route planning will help drivers make smarter choices to reduce travel delay. Real-time and real-world data on how, when, and where vehicles travel can be analyzed for better transportation planning and transportation system operations—making roads safer and less congested. Features such as remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance, in-vehicle payment, and fleet management will make travel more efficient and convenient for drivers of connected vehicles.

In-vehicle infotainment and services
Through high-speed networks, passengers can access popular music and video streaming services, log on to their favorite apps, and use voice-activated technologies to interact with the infotainment system. Smartphones put the Worldwide Web in our hands; connected vehicles will allow us to enjoy a plethora of digital content on the go.

What are the key market drivers of connected vehicles?
Several factors are propelling the growth of the connected vehicle market, as enumerated by Deloitte:

• Increase in connectivity and internet consumption: consumers expect more digital services, both inside and outside the car
• Increase in commute time: consumers are willing to finish up a lot of activities while they are in the car
• Cultural differences and changing needs across geographies: driving needs, patterns, and customer expectations differ across geographies
• Exponential surge in time spent on mobile devices: convergence of applications and command interface in mobile devices for an increasing number of use cases
• Proliferation in data generation: consumers are willing to share their personal data in exchange for better services, which can then enable ecosystem players to collaborate

The global connected car market is projected to reach USD 166.0 billion by 2025, from USD 53.9 billion in 2020, with the demand for high-capacity electronic control units (ECUs) driving the ECU hardware market during the forecast period.

As the fifth-largest automotive EMS provider in the world, IMI is poised to be a key participant in this promising market.

Our strong ties with Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive suppliers, and the market in general, are a testament to our solid expertise in many areas such as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), driver and passenger safety and security, sensors and electronic controls, camera vision technology, mirror-replacement cameras, surround camera systems, and mechatronics. We are also building electronic control unit (ECU) modules to support steering capabilities, safety, body control, and interior systems and displays.

Advanced driver-assistance systems, or ADAS, are systems to help the driver in the driving process. Autonomous driving is supported by cloud data, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. In consequence, ADAS systems must link to a vehicle’s communication module directly to enable fully autonomous driving.

We remain focused on acquiring capabilities and experiences in emerging technologies rather than on the traditional products and systems we build. In 2019, 44% of the products IMI built were classified as emerging. Emerging technologies are classified as ones that utilize a combination of advanced systems in mobility, connectivity, and smart energy.

The road ahead is clear: Modern, connected technology is revolutionizing the automotive EMS industry. IMI is motivated, equipped, and committed to embark on this exciting journey.

As one of the Top 20 EMS companies in the world, IMI has over 40 years of experience in providing electronics manufacturing and technology solutions. 

At IMI, we believe that humanity drives technology, and we direct our passion at solutions that enhance our way of living.  With more than 400,000 square meters of factory space in 22 factories across 10 countries, we are positioned to build your business on a global scale.

Our proven technical expertise, worldwide reach, and vast experience in high-growth and emerging markets make us the ideal global manufacturing solutions partner.

Let's work together to build our future today.