SCOTTSDALE, AZ--July 10, 2013: MRG, the market leader in the Video and Media ecosystem for more than 20 years, has released its latest report, The Connected Car: New Opportunities for Service Providers, their Suppliers and Software Developers.
“While the Connected Car offers many new opportunities, the main challenge 'driver distraction' remains, but is being addressed by various technologies, including collision avoidance systems. Addressing the challenges can actually be viewed as additional opportunities.”
Think of the Connected Car as a new device for your mobile communications/entertainment plan. It's an extension of the personal entertainment cloud and a new screen for an operator's multiscreen video service. It can leverage proximity and device presence functionality using a cellular provider's 4G network. It can use GPS to help avoid heavy traffic and instant messaging to notify colleagues of your location and ETA. The Connected Car can prompt your home control system to adjust your thermostat and deactivate your home alarm system as you arrive at home.
MRG believes that the installed base of vehicles with embedded infotainment systems will surpass 85 million by 2017, up from about 2 million this year. Additionally, cars with embedded cellular connectivity are expected to increase from approximately 25 million this year to over 100 million in 2017.
While challenges remain, MRG feels that growth is inevitable, as VP Norm Bogen explains: "While the Connected Car offers many new opportunities, the main challenge 'driver distraction' remains, but is being addressed by various technologies, including collision avoidance systems. Addressing the challenges can actually be viewed as additional opportunities."
This report identifies the B2C, B2B and B2B2C opportunities for the communications and digital entertainment industries, and presents the systems, consumer-facing solutions, use-cases and the trends associated with them. Also identified are the software and connectivity technologies, key vendors, and the partnerships that are available between the TV and automotive industry ecosystems.
Also presented are five-year forecasts for in-vehicle infotainment systems and in-vehicle cellular market penetration and growth rates.