Connected car report shows global demand for connected cars and privacy issues

connectedcartelefonicaA new study by Telefónica  showed there is global demand for connected car services, with more than 70 per cent of drivers surveyed saying that they are interested in using, or are already using, connected car services.

In fact,  Features such as increased safety, early warning systems and smarter navigation are cited as the most popular, with almost three-quarters (73%) of drivers listing safety and diagnostics features as the most important.

Telefónica’s Connected Car Industry Report 2014 offers independent  research and contributions from six of the world’s largest car manufacturers.

connnectedcarstudymoreThe connected car market will achieve mass-market penetration the total number of vehicles with built-in connectivity will increase from 10% of
the overall market today to 90% by 2020.

Around half of consumers now consider connected features, such as inbuilt connectivity and the ability to plug in a smartphone, a key part of their next car purchase.

71% of drivers surveyed said that they are interested in using, or are already using, connected car services.

80% of consumers expect the connected car of the future to provide the same connected experience they are used to at home, at work and on the move via their mobile phone.

Almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents chose safety and diagnostics features as the most important, giving a clear indication of the areas they would expect connected services to focus in the future. More than 60% of drivers agreed they would like to have this peace of mind.

61% of drivers agreed that connectivity would give them more control by being able to understand when the car had a problem. And almost a half (44%) of drivers believed such technology would help reassure them a mechanic was quoting a correct price for repairs

35% of drivers expect not to own their own car by 2034, and  predict they will be using alternative options such as car sharing services.

The dashboard is the favorite way for accessing connected services, particularly for safety, navigation and vehicle diagnostics, with more than 60% of respondents across all markets preferring to access features in this way.

As far as accessing car information, information sharing preferences showed a desire for privacy and sharing with and sharing of location only desired for lowering insurance.

  • 18% Current location for special offers from brands
  • 38% Driving style/location for reduced insurance costs
  • 9% Driving style/location with social networks like Facebook
  • 12% In-car entertainment choices with music, game and video retailers.
  • 34% Car condition so garages could bid to maintain it at the lowest cost.
  • 31% My car is a private space. I wouldn’t be willing to share any information
  • 4% None of these.
  • 6% Don’t know.

For the Connected Car Report 2014, Telefónica commissioned YouGov to survey 5,012 adults across five markets, aged 18 or over, and that held a valid driver’s licence. It spoke to 946 respondents in Spain, 993 in Brazil, 993 in the USA, 1061 in Germany and 1019 in the UK between 13th January and 20th January 2014.