ABI Research: by 2028, automakers will save $1.5B using over-the-air updates to fix recalled cars

By 2028, automakers in the United States will use Over-the-Air (OTA) update capabilities to save US$1.5 billion by remotely implementing fixes to product recalls. According to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, performing these legally required software updates in-person costs OEMs half a billion dollars annually. Vehicle recalls due to... Read more →


BlackBerry IVY Innovation Fund makes strategic investment in CerebrumX

CerebrumX Lab, a leading AI-driven automotive data services & product provider (earlier post), announced a strategic investment from BlackBerry that will help the company ramp up the delivery of new data-driven, in-vehicle products and services that make it easier for automakers to create turnkey user-centric applications and enterprise solutions. CerebrumX... Read more →


J.D. Power and Motorq collaborate to measure real world EV battery health

J.D. Power and Motorq, a leading connected vehicle analytics and infrastructure company, have announced a strategic alliance to provide the automotive industry with insights based on connected vehicle data. The first product from the alliance will measure real-world electric vehicle (EV) battery health. Using data provided by the vehicle itself,... Read more →


Porsche AG and its partner UP.Labs have jointly founded their first company; Los Angeles-based startup Pull Systems is developing a machine-learning-as-a-service solution for capturing and analyzing vehicle data. Pull Systems’ intelligent platform aims to generate important information about the vehicle—such as the condition of the vehicle’s battery or power electronics—quickly... Read more →


Mercedes-Benz customers in Germany are now able to authenticate payments via an in-car fingerprint sensor. With the new digital payment service Mercedes pay+, Mercedes-Benz introduces native in-car payments. With native in-car payments, the vehicle itself now enables biometric two-factor authentication in conjunction with the fingerprint sensor. It is no longer... Read more →


The US Department of Transportation has awarded a $15-million grant to renew the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT), based in Ann Arbor and led by the University of Michigan. The partnership now brings together nine colleges and universities to focus on significantly advancing the US transportation system with... Read more →


Hyundai Motor America launched a connected car services program called Bluelink+, which eliminates nearly all subscription fees for new owners. All services included in the previous Bluelink Connected Care, Remote and Guidance subscription packages are now offered complimentary on a non-trial basis for new buyers with Bluelink+ (4G LTE network... Read more →


Hitachi Astemo, Trend Micro and its subsidiary VicOne have expanded their collaboration to provide security solutions for connected cars, aiming for commercialization by 2025. Hitachi Astemo’s division that develops in-vehicle components for connected cars has been working with Trend Micro on the joint development of security solutions for connected cars... Read more →


Juniper Research: Connected vehicles to surpass 367M globally by 2027, up from 192M in 2023; role of operators

A new Juniper Research study forecasts that the number of connected vehicles in service will reach 367 million globally in 2027, from 192 million in 2023. This growth of 91% will be driven by the advancement of both ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) and increasing the capabilities of in-vehicle infotainment... Read more →


Stellantis launches Mobilisights to grow data and connected services business; leveraging connected vehicle data

At CES 2023, Stellantis N.V. announced the establishment of Mobilisights, an independent business unit fully dedicated to growing the company’s data as a service (DaaS) business and to developing and licensing innovative B2B products, applications and services. Mobilisights products will be available to a diverse set of entities, including private... Read more →


In an important step towards safer and more sustainable goods movement through autonomous transportation, Goodyear and Gatik (earlier post) have demonstrated, in a proof-of-concept, that intelligent tires powered by Goodyear SightLine technology can accurately estimate tire-road friction potential and provide real-time information to Gatik’s automated driving system (ADS). The capability... Read more →


6G-ICAS4Mobility project working to integrate communication and sensors into single 6G system; sidelink communication

In Germany, the publicly-funded 6G-ICAS4Mobility (6G Integrated Communication & Sensing for Mobility) project aims to more closely interconnect the communication and sensing systems (ICAS), which currently run separately, and to integrate them into a single 6G system. Over the next three years, the project will develop crucial foundations of the... Read more →


CerebrumX and Toyota partner to use connected vehicle data to reduce fleet management costs

CerebrumX Lab, an AI-driven automotive data services & management platform (earlier post), is partnering with Toyota to provide real-time insights aimed at making connected fleet operations safer and cost-effective. The partnership is focused on reducing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for fleets by utilizing embedded telematics data from participating... Read more →


Porsche Engineering and Vodafone Business have established Europe’s first 5G hybrid mobile private network (MPN) at Nardò Technical Center (NTC) for the development of intelligent and connected vehicles. The proving ground in Southern Italy, which is owned by Porsche and operated by Porsche Engineering, now offers its customers a real-time... Read more →


In BMW vehicles with BMW Operating System 7 and 8, a new service for convenient payment processing of parking fees is now available in Germany and Austria. Other European countries will follow. With the parking payments function, upon arrival in a parking zone, the vehicle automatically detects whether the service... Read more →


Renault has become the first car brand to offer the Waze application directly integrated into the vehicle’s multimedia system. The integration of Waze into the OpenR Link multimedia system with integrated Google and therefore visible on the 12-inch vertical screen of the All-new Austral and Mégane E-Tech electric naturally offers... Read more →


CerebrumX to use Ford connected vehicle data to help transform auto insurance in N America with usage-based insurance as-a-service

CerebrumX Lab Inc. (CerebrumX), an AI-driven automotive data services & management platform, will incorporate Ford connected vehicle data to support data-driven usage-based insurance (UBI) as-a-Service model for Insurers. This model offers a quicker and more cost-effective implementation of UBI programs by using embedded telematics for eligible Ford and Lincoln connected... Read more →


NXP Semiconductors has introduced the OrangeBox automotive-grade development platform, which integrates a wide variety of NXP wireless technologies, from broadcast radio, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth, to secure car access with Ultra-Wideband (UWB) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and 802.11p-based V2X. The OrangeBox is a single, security enhanced, modular development platform... Read more →


Hyundai Motor Group announced a new global strategy to transform all vehicles to software-defined vehicles (SDVs) by 2025. The initiative, presented during the Group’s Unlock the Software Age global online forum, will give customers the freedom to upgrade the performance and functionality of their vehicles remotely. The Group also shared... Read more →


Toyota and Google Cloud partner to bring AI-powered speech services to Toyota and Lexus vehicles without the cloud

Toyota and Google Cloud announced an expanded partnership that brings together Toyota and Lexus next-generation audio multimedia systems and Google Cloud’s AI-based speech services. Customers can now experience the first results of the partnership in the latest generation Toyota Audio Multimedia and Lexus Interface infotainment systems, including in 2023 models... Read more →


Audi recently held demonstrations of Connected Vehicle to Everything (C-V2X) technology in Oceanside, California. The demonstrations showcased a variety of C-V2X use cases which offer the potential to reduce the likelihood of collisions between vehicles and cyclists. C-V2X is the use of cellular communications technology between a vehicle and its... Read more →


VNC Automotive: automotive subscription services are here to stay

Vehicle connectivity and telematics software expert VNC Automotive suggests that vehicle subscription features will grow in popularity and become a standard component of the marketplace. Consumers are no stranger to the subscription model, now firmly a part of daily life for many, with millions of people regularly paying to use... Read more →


UK-based connected vehicle data company Wejo Group unveiled DLIVEREE, an AV prototype that is being used to develop and demonstrate Wejo’s Autonomous Vehicle Operating System (AV-OS), software that will use live, real-time connected vehicle data to support development, testing, and operation of AVs for the future. The AV prototype allows... Read more →


Ford exploring use of smartphone technology to alert drivers to pedestrians, bicyclists; BLE and 5G

Ford Motor Company is researching new smartphone-based communications technology that could potentially help warn drivers of pedestrians, bicyclists and more—even those approaching a vehicle’s path but blocked from a driver’s view. The concept smartphone app, which would run on a pedestrian’s phone, uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) messaging to communicate... Read more →


Lightning eMotors launches of Lightning Insights real-time EV telematics and charger management software

Lightning eMotors has launched Lightning Insights, a significant extension of its telematics system built for monitoring and managing Lightning fleet assets in real-time. Lightning’s original telematics solution, created 10 years ago, was already a market-leading platform offering an array of data collection and analysis capability. The new system, which monitors... Read more →


Michigan will enable four new mobility services to help address challenges across the state related to sustainable transit, roadway safety, parking and staffing shortages in the service industry. In partnership with key universities, four companies—Bluecity, GEKOT Inc., Mouvit and Nimbus—will receive $285,000 in total funding through the Michigan Mobility Funding... Read more →


Jaguar Land Rover has taken another step towards a new era of electrification and connectivity by opening a facility to test the next generation of vehicles for electrical and radio interference. The Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) laboratory at Gaydon in the UK, will ensure future vehicles meet current and future legislation... Read more →


BlackBerry software is now embedded in more than 215M vehicles

BlackBerry Limited announced that Strategy Analytics, a leading independent research firm, has determined BlackBerry QNX software is now embedded in more than 215 million vehicles worldwide, an increase of 20 million from the year before. BlackBerry provides safety-certified embedded software for automotive OEMs and Tier 1s including BMW, Bosch, Continental,... Read more →


Real-Time Innovations (RTI), the largest software framework company for autonomous systems, is collaborating with Renesas, a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions for the automotive industry. RTI Connext Drive, the ISO-26262-certified communications framework for autonomous and electric vehicles, runs on Renesas System-on-Chips (SoC), providing OEMs with a trusted development platform.... Read more →


Toyota Connected North America (TCNA), an independent software and innovation center of excellence, has introduced its Cabin Awareness concept technology that uses millimeter-wave, high-resolution 4D imaging radar to help detect occupants (including certain pets) in cars and has the potential to detect them if ever they’re left behind. The Cabin... Read more →


Parkopedia and Uproad partner to enable in-car tolling payments for US drivers

Parkopedia, a leading connected vehicles services provider, and Uproad, a leading mobile tolling payment system, announced the integration of their platforms, automating the toll payment process for millions of drivers in the US. US drivers complete nearly 6 billion journeys along the country’s nearly 9,500km of toll roads, bridges and... Read more →


GM and INRIX partner on SaaS-based road safety solution

General Motors and INRIX, a leader in mobility analytics and connected car services, are collaborating to develop safety solutions to help transportation and planning agencies achieve road safety goals. Available first in the US, Safety View by GM Future Roads & INRIX is a cloud-based application that provides transportation officials... Read more →


Ford F-150 Lightning delivers more horsepower, more payload capacity, more range; cloud-connected Intelligent Range and Trailer Profile

Ford F-150 Lightning customers will benefit from more power and capability than they expected from their trucks. F-150 Lightning, the only full-size electric pickup available now with a starting price less than $40,000, will begin to ship to customers in the coming days, starting with the Pro Series. Both the... Read more →


Audi and Navistar have partnered to develop further and demonstrate potential safety-enhancing C-V2X technology in Navistar emergency vehicles and school buses. The partnership allows for both companies to develop use cases and safety enhancing demonstrations in close collaboration as members of the Volkswagen Group. First deployments are expected to begin... Read more →


Live trial of 5G connected car concept in Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia recently hosted a live trial of a new driver and pedestrian safety concept that allows near-real-time notification of roadway hazards through 5G and edge technologies. This trial is one of three conducted internationally by a public-private collaboration, organized by the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) and eight... Read more →


Mercedes-Benz has been awarded a far-reaching contract for road monitoring through vehicle data by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (Min I&W). The project spans two years and covers three key areas: Winter Management, Asset Management and Road Safety. The geographical breadth of the Road Monitor program (ROMO)... Read more →


Volkswagen rolling out ID. Software 3.0; cloud-based with swarm intelligence

Volkswagen is rolling out ID. Software 3.0 with new functions for tis all-electric ID. models, enhancing user experience and optimizing charging capacity. By using swarm data and the most recent generation of driver assistance systems, Volkswagen is also taking the next step towards automated driving. Buyers of new cars will... Read more →


Audi of America is working with Spoke, a mobility platform for safety, connectivity, and rich rider experiences; Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.; and Commsignia to bring the benefits of cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology to vulnerable road users (VRUs) and enhance safety on roadways. Using C-V2X technology, the companies are working together by... Read more →


Commsignia connects bicycles to V2X ecosystem with Spoke

Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) company Commsignia is collaborating with Vulnerable Road User (VRU) safety experts Spoke to provide automotive-grade Cellular-V2X (C-V2X) software solutions for cyclists, motorcyclists and e-scooter riders. Spoke is building on Commsignia’s more than a decade worth of experience in V2X to connect its users to the digital road safety... Read more →


Audi of America, Verizon partner to bring 5G to vehicle lineup starting in MY2024

Verizon and Audi of America will bring 5G connectivity to the automaker’s US lineup, estimated to begin with select models for the 2024 model year. The collaboration brings embedded 5G Ultra Wideband connectivity into Audi vehicles and provides the speed and telecommunication architecture necessary for highly personalized and augmented mobile... Read more →


CoBank report suggests self-driving vehicles could easily overwhelm current data center market

Widespread adoption of self-driving EVs faces several significant barriers including social acceptance, safety and regulatory restrictions. But according to a new report from CoBank, another major challenge that is often overlooked is the monumental impact these vehicles will have on the data center market. While technology developments such as efficient... Read more →


State Farm and Ford team up to introduce usage-based insurance to new connected vehicle owners

State Farm and Ford launched Drive Safe & Save Connected Car for customers with eligible connected Ford or Lincoln vehicles, to benefit from usage-based insurance (UBI). State Farm customers with eligible connected vehicles can opt into the State Farm UBI program, Drive Safe & Save, which adjusts premiums to an... Read more →


J.D. Power: automotive OEM smartphone apps still struggle to meet owner expectations of speed and functionality

The percentage of vehicle owners using the app of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) continues to increase year-over-year, with 38% of respondents indicating that they use the app at least half of the time that they drive, according to the J.D. Power 2021 US OEM ICE Benchmark Study. The usage... Read more →


WirelessCar, a developer of digital vehicle services for connected cars, launched Smart EV Routing, a dynamic digital product that enables drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) to optimize their long-distance journeys. WirelessCar’s Smart EV Routing uses real-time dynamic vehicle data combined with intelligent routing algorithms to offer one of the most... Read more →


Chrysler revealed the Chrysler Airflow Concept electric vehicle at CES 2022. Chrysler also announced that the brand’s transformation will include the launch of its first battery-electric vehicle (BEV) by 2025 and a future all-electric Chrysler vehicle lineup. The Chrysler Airflow Concept integrates the STLA Brain platform and STLA SmartCockpit (earlier... Read more →


NXP introduces first secure tri-radio device: WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, 802.15.4

At CES, NXP Semiconductors announced the IW612, the industry’s first secure tri-radio device to support the Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and 802.15.4 (low-rate wireless personal area networks (LR-WPANs)) protocols. Part of NXP’s new family of tri-radio products, the new device enables seamless, secure connectivity for smart home, automotive and industrial... Read more →


NXP and Foxconn Industrial Internet partner to accelerate automotive innovation

NXP Semiconductors, a leading automotive semiconductor company, has announced a strategic partnership with Foxconn Industrial Internet (FII), a subsidiary of Hon Hai, to transform the car into the ultimate edge device. NXP will provide FII with its comprehensive portfolio of automotive technologies. The initial phase of the joint project will... Read more →


Toyota Motor North America selects Cerence Browse to bring search engine-level intelligence into cars

Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) has selected Cerence Browse, Cerence’s AI-powered, cloud-based content domain, to bring the power and intelligence of internet search engines directly into Toyota and Lexus vehicles in its next-generation multimedia system. TMNA is the first automaker to deploy Cerence’s new cloud service, Browse. Cerence Browse will... Read more →


Honda Research Institute USA is conducting a pilot program in Ohio to evaluate a system that uses GPS coordinates and sensors such as cameras to collect real-time road condition information that can be shared with road operators. Honda is collaborating with the Ohio Department of Transportation and plans to start... Read more →


Iteris, a global provider of smart mobility infrastructure management, and global mobility supplier Continental launched Vantage Fusion, a hybrid traffic detection system that enables real-world vehicle-to-everything (V2X) applications and advanced intersection visualization for safer, smarter and more sustainable roadways. The Vantage Fusion hybrid video and radar detection system delivers unmatched... Read more →