By Joe Whited

As consumers increasingly crave mobile connectivity in their cars, wireless carriers and automakers are putting the pedal to the metal to offer innovative and flexible telematics technology.

The connected car market is ripe with opportunity. According to Machina Research, 90 percent of new passenger cars are expected to have some of form of connectivity platform by 2020. Machina forecasts that the connected cars market will reach $600 billion by 2020, the largest category in a $4.5 trillion market for connected devices and services.

On July 15, Sprint raced forward in wireless car technology, announcing that it would use IBM MobileFirst solutions to deliver a more personalized, responsive connected car experience.

Based on IBM MessageSight, Sprint Velocity Service Bus is a new communications architecture that lets smartphones, tablets and other devices communicate through the cloud. This new architecture enhances the Sprint Velocity platform by simplifying and speeding up the delivery of connected car services. The result is increased flexibility for auto manufacturers and an improved driver experience that can anticipate needs and make consumers’ lives easier and more convenient.

Sprint Velocity Service Bus can now support enhanced services, including:

• Mobile Concierge Service: After finishing a meal at a restaurant and searching for a local coffee shop on a smartphone, you can send directions to the car’s navigation system. As soon as you turn on the car, the directions will be queued up and ready to go.
• Automatic Cabin Temperature Adjustments: Temperature sensors in the car automatically adjust cabin settings based on established driver preferences that are stored in the cloud.
• Preferred Alternate Routes: An internal navigation system captures route and travel preferences in the cloud and can suggest alternate routes, based on time of day and traffic alerts.
• Location Tracking: This smartphone app quickly helps you find your car, which can be helpful in crowded parking lots.

Sprint Velocity, launched in late 2012, is a pioneering capability that helps automakers develop and market connected services for cars and passenger trucks. The end-to-end mobile integration solution developed specifically for auto manufacturers, has recently made its mark among noted third parties. Here are some examples:

• Won an M2M Evolution Product of the Year Award from TMC’s M2M Evolution magazine.
• Received the Telematics Update Industry Newcomer AwardWas named Service Provider winner for Innovation in Connectivity, Pipeline magazine’s 2013 COMET Innovations Award program.
• Was named Runner-up in the Innovative Collaborations category, Pipeline magazine’s 2013 COMET Innovations Award program.

“With smartphone adoption rates increasing, users expect their preferences to transfer from one device to another,” said Bob S. Johnson, director of development-Sprint Velocity. “Transfer of your personalization and customization settings to the connected car is the next logical step for automakers looking to drive innovation in a very competitive market. To make this real, Sprint Velocity is working with IBM to provide open access across a select group of platforms and partners so vehicles can seamlessly connect a wide array of services and mobile devices.”

Rich Stomp, managing director, IBM, said, “From recalling in-vehicle infotainment preferences to preferred routes, seamlessly integrating all of the customized services provided to drivers can be a complex task. In the era of ‘you,’ IBM MobileFirst solutions are a key ingredient in enabling companies such as Sprint to deliver solutions that help automotive manufacturers create cars customized for the individual – not the masses.”

More information:

Want to learn more about the Sprint/IBM collaboration, or about Sprint’s award-winning work with connected car technology? Contact Mary Kunkel at 713-591-8299 or Mary.Kunkel@sprint.com.

What others are saying:

KGO-TV/ABC: “Taking mobile technology to the next level” 
Forbes: “IBM And Sprint Team Up On Smarter Connected Cars That Send Data When The Engine Is Off”