Connected cars

Effective communication was one of the silver bullets in winning World Wars Both sides of the divide invested a lot in trying to tap into each other’s’ communication systems in an effort to learn their secrets and plans. Because of the ubiquitous nature of the English language, the Axis Powers had somewhat an upper hand over the Allied which prompted the USA to use Native American Navajo speakers specially recruited to develop an unbreakable code of communicating with one another.

At the root of the working of Smart Cars is effective communication. If communication could have turned the tide of the Second World War then we could possibly trust it will usher is into the next phase of digitally advanced cost effective environmentally friendly motor transport. The smart car could be generally defined as an automobile fitted with advanced microprocessors that enable communication within the vehicle – between the driver, car accessories and passengers – and also communication to the outside environment of the vehicle – to other cars, traffic lights, etc. The automobile industry then came up with the term Connected Cars just to further illustrate the extent to which the Internet of Things and Artificial intelligence have enabled car to car and car to infrastructure communication.

This article aims to show how Smart Cars act as connected vehicles and utilize Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Bi data, Radar technology and other emerging technologies to lower costs of production, conserve the environment and improve safety to the users. This will be tackled by looking at autonomous vehicles, smart intra and inter communication, smart tracking, power optimization, smart inspecting and maintenance and improved safety.

1. Smart Intra and Inter Communication

Having been fitted with fast internet connectivity, the smart car can be able to generate and share important vehicle attributes from its electronic control unit which can then be used to enhance communication both inside and outside the vehicle. The vehicle attributes could be about the fuel levels, which door is locked and which isn’t, temperature of the engine as well as of inside the vehicle. All this is aimed at providing a holistic approach of car interactions to the driver to improve is efficiency and safety. With these much gains, Business Insider predicts that many automobile companies are moving to the connected way and there will be over 300million connected cars on the road by 2025.

In car interactions

The Smart Car not only enhances interactions between drivers and all the accessories inside the car but also between drivers and both occupants and third party persons whether directly outside or through calls. Speech enhancement devices could be used alongside sensors inside the vehicle cabin to filter any unwanted noise thus allowing for quality audio during any calls in the vehicle. You could even have a baby crying in the background but still manage to have a conference call while driving. The driver’s interactions with other occupants could also be enhanced by the smart car through the existence of microphones and speakers in each seat. With this the driver will be able to effectively communicate with the occupants without much of his attention being drawn from driving.

Sensors all over the vehicle can also be able to alert the driver on conditions of various important attributes to the minute of information required. Rather than just hint at low fuel, sensors can be able to show the amount of fuel required for a specific distance travelled and also locate the nearest refill station. So as not to waste the Air Conditioning, sensors can be able to detect an open window in the car and even close it.

Make informed decision using big data

Outside Environment Interactions The presence of cameras, radar technology and sensors communicating with other infrastructure give the driver an upper hand in dealing with any emerging issue and also improve his cognitive ability. The driver is not only able to communicate with the immediate outside car surrounding – e. g. the brakes and tires – but also he can be able to receive real time information to the more external infrastructure like traffic lights, road signs, parking lots and even other cars. Software such as Cellular Vehicle to Everything - CV2X, allow the cars to communicate with any other car or appliance in order to have a better understanding of the surrounding. Communication between cars and connected traffic management infrastructure is evolving to make Traffic Management Systems to grow to become a multi-billion dollar industry. The systems function to significantly reduce the congestion of cars especially in urban roads which in turn helps in avoiding wastage of time, reduces pollution and saves billions of dollars. These traffic management systems heavily rely on information from millions of connected cars that deliver various types of data that may include location, atmospheric conditions, magnitude of traffic and condition of the roads etc. with this data in place, the systems can be able to advise and make more intelligent decisions. They can identify incidences in real time e.g. accidents bad weather, and advise appropriately through optimization of routes and diversions . Qualcomm Technologies is already leading the way by developing products that employ Vehicle to Infrastructure and Cellular to Vehicle to Everything technologies.

2. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems - ADAS

Fully autonomous vehicles belong to the larger group of the Advanced Driver Assistance technology. This is a group of systems working together to monitor, alert and provide aversive actions in the process of car mobility. Many know autonomous vehicles as a futuristic concept where vehicles will be driving themselves but this is just the final product. Various smart cars have different levels of self-operation where the ADAS technology come in to aid the drivers’ cognitive skills and cover up on their mistakes. Both the UN and The European Commission have even directed that all vehicles be fitted with such technology to aid the drivers by 2025 . This is because semi or fully autonomous driving is predicted to reduce the number of accidents through making both drivers and vehicles aware of what is happening on around. Apart from accident prevention the ADAS technology assists in parking and even over the car can be an extension of the digital workplace. Workers will focus much less on driving and the car can be customized to resemble the office hence workers are not disconnected from their comfortable working environment. The autonomous vehicles are heavily dependent on Big Data and Internet of Things. The Internet of Things through sensors planted both in the car and outside environment facilitates Car to Car and Car to Infrastructure communication while Big Data facilitates the effective analysis of this information. Artificial Intelligence comes in to study this data through predictive analysis algorithms to offer actions that the vehicle could take in certain scenarios. AI could also be used to study the driver and give insight on his or her emotional stress, cognitive ability and even fatigue level and prompt the car to be more alert and sensitive to mistakes that could arise. The FordPass SmartLink developed by the Ford Company is a use of AI technology as discussed above in making it easier or the drivers to operate vehicles. This smart initiative enables the drivers to get intelligent notifications on vehicle diagnostics and also allows for remote vehicle control.

3. Smart Inspection and Maintenance

Vehicle inspection and their maintenance are very key in the longevity of a vehicle’s usage and its effectiveness during its life. Inspecting and maintenance also add to the cost of owning a car and become very expensive when they aren’t done properly. Poorly done inspections lead to equipment crashes and exponentially growing maintenance costs. Effective inspection and maintenance of cars also leads to a better treatment of the environment by ensuring toxic substances are not released into the atmosphere.

Artificial Intelligence processes data from sensors in form of car diagnosis and is able to alert the driver on pertinent issues and even predict viable solutions. This gives room for smart inspection and predictive maintenance. Data collected from various vehicle equipment is stored and analyzed in real time. This helps in early detection of any faults by the noticing of any deterioration from the normal working of the car. Early detection leads to faster and easier repair and hence a save in the maintenance costs.

Manufacturing companies can also tap into the mine of all this real time data while the car is in use. They can be able to study it, predict faults and design components better. If a car has a faulty breaking system, then The Company could intentionally look at how the breaking system is in use in real time and find out where the problem is and how it can be permanently mitigated. In addition to keeping the car safe from wear and tear, smart air conditioning systems that filter out not only dust but also other fine particles, can be installed. Accumulation of fine particles can lead to undetected failures. Fine particulate sensors in the AC system give it access to both the cabin air and external air hence making the filtering more effective.

The smart cars through all the data collected can be positive short in the arm for the insurance industry. The calculation of insurance premiums will be based on accurate actual distances covered by the driver and real time usage of the vehicle. This data can also be a virtual ‘black box’ in cars after accidents. All the events prior to and during accidents is recorded in real time by the sensors. Therefore the making of compensations decisions is optimized reducing any cases of unfair play.

4. Improved safety

WHO estimates that 1.35 million people lose their lives in road accidents. About half of these are third party vulnerable people who aren’t directly involved in driving the cars such as pedestrians and other road users. Millions of dollars are also lost from destruction of both vehicles and road infrastructure. Therefore innovations that will save human life and reduce costs lost to accidents is paramount. The smart car comes with an arsenal up its sleeve to aid the driver in a way that will prove to be safe to him and the people around him. Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things bring cars into the thinking table. More AI algorithms are being developed to think like and respond to incidences like even better than the human brain does. However this can only happen if these algorithms have access to copious amounts of data.

Vehicle to Vehicle connectivity offers the opportunity or cars to learn from each other in real time. This makes it possible for drivers to know from other drivers some information about danger zones, black spots, weather patterns and even security issues. Drivers can then be able to make rational decisions or increase their alertness once they know what is coming ahead of them. Not only do the cars obtain information from other cars, but they also get lots of data from surrounding infrastructure through vehicle to infrastructure connectivity. Vehicles are able to communicate with a road sign signaling a speed limit and automatically prompt the driver to reduce his speed or autonomously do it itself. Accidents will drop tremendously. The smart car is also equipped with emerging technology to either add on to the driver’s safety, or prevent an accident autonomously. Using rear side, front side, mid-range and long range cameras, the driver is able to have a 360◦ view of the vehicle’s environment. These cameras are supplemented by mid-range and long range radars to catch anything the cameras would miss.These working together with sensors allow for blind spot monitoring prompt the autonomous braking system. The driver is also warned by the vehicle when he departs from his lane through these cameras and radars. The cameras and radars allow for the driver and car to navigate through misty weather and other harsh climatic conditions. Artificial Intelligence also allows for driver monitoring for his own safety. This happens when the vehicle studies the driver’s condition and deciphers anything that could affect is cognitive skills and attention. This could be his physical condition, emotional stress and even intellectual capability. By having data that shows the driver’s state while driving at his best, any reasonable deviation from the normal creates a valid reason to doubt whether he will drive safely. The vehicle can then be able to make certain decisions that will add on to the safety of the driver and occupants. Depending on how it fit to drive the driver is found to be, the vehicle could either become more sensitive to aid the driver more or the vehicle could completely shut down and prevent the driver from causing harm.

With a lot of data literally in the air, the problems of cyber security and breach of privacy arise. If a third party gets a hold of this information, they could find out where a vehicle owner goes and when they go there getting to know their whole schedules. Therefore cyber security is an important technology as smart cars are being developed. This provides a great opportunity for car manufacturing companies to extend their expertise and offer software solutions.

5. Power Optimization

In these tough climate change times, power optimization is a necessity. Especially in monitoring the use of carbon fuel and its impact to the environment. Electric vehicles have been brought into the game to solve the issue of carbo fuel’s impact on the environment. They however have been marred by the problems o not being able to provide enough energy supply and thus require a lot of power management control and frequent charging. The cost of fuel literally controls world markets. Therefore power optimization is also very important to make road mobility affordable to people from all walks of life.

Smart Cars through IoT have sensors that not only study fuel levels but also analyze the amount of fuel lost to leakages and evaporation. In studying the level of fuel remaining in the tank, the car can be able to predict how far the vehicle can go with the remaining fuel and at what speed it should be driven. The driver can then make the decision on whether to refuel depending on the proximity of fuel stations which the car’s GPS also shows. This will reduce the amount of fuel lost to anything other than powering o the car. The sensors also send data to a storage center where the fuel usage chart against time driven or distance covered is recorded. This information will help in tracking fuel usage and help in making decisions on how to reduce carbon footprint on the earth. With telematics data stored in the vehicle’s system, the smart car can be able to optimize the routes to be taken once your destination is known. By this the least amount of fuel is used when getting around with your smart car. Smart cars are usher in the way for eco mobility! Hybrid cars utilize both carbon fuel and electric batteries as a power source. Effective power management is key in order to know when to switch from carbon fuel to electric powering . Sensors can be able to send out data which when analyzed, the optimum time to when to switch between the two power sources can be deciphered. Fully electric vehicles also need a lot of power monitoring so as to reduce the charging instances. In smart charging instances, both the electric vehicle and the charging appliances are connected to the cloud. This data wen analyzed, provides insight on how to charge faster and more efficiently.

Conclusion

Legacy car manufacturing companies will get a shot in the arm by smart car manufacturing companies. It is only a matter of time. Not only will they diversify the automobile industry but will also stretch out the industry’s wings to invest in other sectors. Companies are already investing in the emerging technology discussed above. In Boston, the taxi hailing company Lyft as partnered with NUTONOMY to provide complex traffic solutions to transform how people move around the city. AutoX is a company based in Carlifonia that develops autonomous vehicles to deliver vegetables around the city. AI is using AI algorithms to optimize transport routes to save on costs. The prospects are many. The market is wide. The harvest is plenty. The future is bright.