Nokia on How 5G is Steering the Future of Connected Cars 

The concept of connected vehicles has been around for decades. As technology evolved and the automotive industry ventured into vehicular connectivity, it produced cars with the ability to display traffic updates and status information on location, fuel levels, security alarms and service history.

With time cars started to use cellular networks for real-time navigation, enhanced infotainment and access to emergency services. Market expectations accordingly changed. Customers increasingly started to perceive automobiles as an extension of their mobile device. Today, in-car connectivity is an important consideration along with a vehicle’s aesthetics, engineering and performance. However, in most cases, the network-based connectivity has been limited to the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Each vehicle is connected to the backend of the respective car producers and not to the greater vehicular ecosystem. 

Hence it is necessary to widen the perspective of connectivity to enable a cooperative intelligent transportation system comprising all road users. Cars cannot merely just connect to the cellular network on a best effort basis. They need to be intelligent, intuitive and communicate at a guaranteed level of service, ensuring new standards in safety, efficiency and convenience.