INSIDE
TECHNOLOGY
VEHICLE TELEMATICS
IN THE AUTO CARE INDUSTRY
The Picture is Both Clear and Muddy
FEW topics draw more attention
than vehicle telematics and the
impact of embedded communication
systems on the future of the auto
care industry. Vehicle manufacturers
are appealing to the desire for
connectivity and convenience by
introducing technology that beams
content into the vehicle, such as
traffic, entertainment and parking
16
AUTO CARE INSIDER | VOL. 88
information. The same technology
is used to extract information from
the vehicle such as location, speed,
air bag status and diagnostic data.
The network is naturally closed and
very secure, favoring communication
with the OEM and their dealer
network. This amounts to the vehicle
manufacturers being "online" with their
product while the independent auto
care industry is "offline." The playing
field for service and maintenance
opportunities is no longer level.
In the short term, technology
innovators have developed a variety
of connectivity solutions that either
plug into the OBDII port or make
use of smart phone technology - or
both. This interface with the vehicle
enables remote diagnostics and other
http://www.autocare.org/What-We-Do/Technology/telematics-2147432027/
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Auto Care Insider Volume 88