The love affair that people have with their automobiles continues to flourish. The record prices consumers remain willing to pay for new vehicles in a supply-constrained environment offers indisputable evidence of the ongoing demand for cars and light trucks that feature the latest safety and infotainment technologies.
Rapidly evolving next-generation innovations — including advances in wireless networking, edge computing and intelligent imaging technologies, among many others — are elevating the driving experience while introducing opportunities to significantly enhance road safety.
Fulfilling the full potential of technology for safety and entertainment, however, will only be realized if drivers and passengers understand, trust and properly use the features and functions being made available. This is why it is so important to connect the dots between auto technology and human adoption. It is imperative as a growing number of consumers view their vehicles as far more than just a method of transportation.
According to a survey conducted by Xperi, 51 percent of consumers believe their vehicles are becoming an extension of their office or living room — a “third space” where they can work, play and relax. Interestingly, nearly half of the respondents also viewed their cars as a place of refuge away from the pressures of home and work. The sentiment is expected to translate into more time spent in vehicles and on roads, despite the fact that fewer miles will be spent commuting in a post-pandemic hybrid working environment.
In response to these trends, the industry is working to address consumers’ desire to experience a consistent high-quality digital experience regardless of where they are and what they are doing. They are demanding the same levels of service in the vehicles that are available in “fixed” spaces.
The twist, of course, is that goals for delivering immersive entertainment and comprehensive connectivity in vehicles must be tempered by the imperative to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers. It also requires the technology ecosystem supporting the automotive sector to explore how technology — including advanced sensors and data analytics — can be deployed throughout the vehicle. Efforts to protect the drivers and passengers from external risks must be matched by initiatives to monitor and appropriately guide factors within the cabin. Most industry safety efforts, however, have been externally focused with the deployment of important innovations in backup cameras, lane departure safety warnings and blind-spot notifications.
While these safety technologies have successfully reduced risk, less attention has been paid to the single greatest determinant of safety in the vehicle — drivers and passengers.
This needs to be addressed.
The automotive sector should ramp up technological initiatives that detect and proactively alert drivers who may be nodding off — the cause of approximately 40,000 accident-related injuries and 1,500 deaths, according to NHTSA.
Advanced imaging and machine learning provide unlimited possibilities for enriching the driving experience while making it safer for everyone. As technology matures, we can even envision the ability to automatically — and safely — pull vehicles over to the side of the road.
What is interesting is that enabling technologies that reduce this critical risk category can also be harnessed to deliver new, innovative digital experiences.
None of this will happen if the technology is too difficult or cumbersome to use. Or worse, if consumers do not trust the vehicle to capture and process the immense amount of personal and behavioral information in a way that respects privacy.
The automotive industry ecosystem’s ability to manage complexity and create new value-added experiences in a trustworthy manner will determine the speed — and extent — to which exciting infotainment and safety features are accepted and adopted.