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30 Jan 2023 | 4 min read
“OEMs are intensifying their work around vehicle connectivity either by acquiring, creating or looking for companies to improve vehicle software or directly by intensifying the production of natively connected vehicles.”
Connectivity brings with it a hub of additional values, disentangling the concept of the car as a mere means of transport, leading it to become a cluster of services.
Connected services are part of the all-around connectivity. OEMs want to create a digital ecosystem that not only allows the seamless exchange of data and information between vehicles but also provides new tailor-made services for their customers.
While services used to be strictly vehicle-related, today OEMs put the vehicle one step further by providing 2.0 services that take the user experience beyond the classic boundaries of simply owning a car!
It is evident how connected cars are making more and more concrete and real opportunities that were not even conceivable before.
The use cases for the implementation of services around connected cars are manifold and split between mobility services that make the driver’s life safer (i.e. ADAS services such as lane assistance or brake assistance) and those that make it more comfortable (i.e. on-demand wash/e-charging/in-car delivery). For users, both branches are becoming paramount.
Connected data is increasingly valuable in the current value chain of the connected car market. Car manufacturers are focusing their efforts more and more on implementing digital strategies, and collecting and studying data to gain insight into the wants and needs of end users. The scope of all this? To build and propose an ecosystem of connected services to cater to these wants and needs.
The Global Automotive Consumer Study 2023 by Deloitte points out that 78% of consumers who own a petrol/diesel car want to switch to electric. Electric cars are surfing the wave of the new connected mobility and with them, some disrupting connected services too. With more and more EVs out there, the shift of focus toward software and connected services is around the corner. The software move brings EV owners to discover a world of valuable services revolving around their connected cars.
Smart charging means you can intelligently manage how your EV charges by connecting it to the grid. When an EV is ‘smart charging’, the charger is ‘communicating’ with your car, the charging operator and the utility company through data connections. While Smart EV Routing comprehend apps and services that provide the best route from A to B, including charging stops at the best stations for the user route
Within the spectrum of these services, we observe the strong role of on-demand connected services.
On-demand e-charging, which allows users to charge their electric cars at any time by making a request directly from their smartphone, conveniently and hassle-free. Once the charging service has been booked, the operator only has to accept the request, locate the car, and go to the spot where it can be recharged contact-free. Some services already well-established in the market are Sparkcharge, E-GAP, and Reefilla.
On-demand car care, which means to take care of your car without having to go to a specific spot. The service is coming to you, you just need to book via smartphone and your car parked will be washed and ready to shine!
On this spectrum, some services already active in the market are Spiffy and Washout.
In-car delivery, which means to make your connected car the order collection station. Therefore, you can collect packages even when you are not at home or in the office. A perfect example is the service launched by Škoda, called Car Access, introducing a new function within the Škoda app that allows customers to get their parcels delivered straight to the trunk. The service is currently active in the Czech Republic with selected e-commerce and courier delivery partners with plans to be expanded soon in other international markets.
An outlook of real game changers in the current market considering the still weak volumes of urban infrastructures available.
Within the spectrum of these services, we also observe the strong role of on-demand connected services such as on-demand e-charging, one of the most innovative ones in the digital and connected ecosystem.
A user with a connected car has access to such an integrated service, enabling the operator to even open the charging flap of the vehicle digitally, keyless, and in total safety, and then close the vehicle and leave it fully charged and ready to go!
Some services already well-established in the market are Sparkcharge, E-GAP, and Reefilla, real game changers in the current market considering the still weak volumes of charging infrastructures available.
Data is at the center of everything. As we previously claimed: data = value which leads to a stronger position in the market.
Data can also be leveraged to create partnerships with service providers (i.e. traffic information, e-charging, in-car delivery companies, etc).
An example of service implementation is Stellantis. One of the world’s leading OEM groups has now launched an independent Business Unit called Mobilisights to harness data from all Stellantis group brands to deliver new user experiences.
It shares this data securely with third parties so that users can decide with whom and for what they want to share their data in full disclosure.
Besides the benefits and increased safety, another point highlighted in the article was the connected car as a side source of income. The ways are many: it can be with Peer to Peer Car Sharing and the harnessing of the car to the fullest or by selling the data of one’s commute for the development of consumer-oriented services.
The use cases around connected cars and services are ever-expanding, to create a cluster of connected services that make the car a real operative center for users!
That’s only the start of something bigger, stay tuned to learn more about the connected revolution!
Digital Content and PR Specialist at 2hire
I love running and daydreaming losing count of the distance I’m covering, cooking (and especially eating) and Drake is my spirit guide.
