Martin Placek
Research expert covering transportation and electronics
Connected cars in Europe - statistics & facts
Europe currently accounts for around 30 percent of the global connected car fleet. The European Union is one of the regions with large potential for connected services. Connected cars are equipped with telecommunication technology that enables the vehicle to connect with in-car devices and networks outside of the vehicle. Hence, connected cars can communicate with other vehicles on roads, as well as smart infrastructure.
Connected cars will make travel faster and safer
The advent of connected car technology has many expected benefits to road transportation and traffic management. As connected technology and infrastructure becomes widespread, drivers can expect to complete their journeys faster and safer. Additionally, passengers and drivers will be able to connect their own devices to the internet and expand infotainment services. Among the reasons most often cited by Europeans that make connected cars attractive are security, navigation, and maintenance features. However, not all Europeans are onboard: Worries about the misuse of their personal and geo-location data, attacks from hackers, and unwanted advertisements are concerns for motorists.Autonomous vehicles will be next
Vehicle connectivity is vital for the development of autonomous vehicles, making it a major component of the Internet of Things not just in Europe, but in virtually all major markets and the increase in shipments of embedded OEM telematics systems worldwide can be seen as indicative of that. For autonomous vehicles to become technologically feasible, telecommunications infrastructure must be 5G-ready. However, only about one third of European mobile connections are expected to be 5G by 2025, as Europe has lagged behind 5G rollout in part due to slow construction of masts amid local opposition to the raising of towers. On the upside, high-income Western Europe can afford paying for technologically advanced vehicles and up-market additional services. By 2030, autonomous vehicles could account for one in four new vehicle sales in the European Union.
