GSMA Senior Project Director Ton Brand
Ton Brand describes the GSM Association's Embedded mTelematics programme
As the world's roads become increasingly crowded, consumers and businesses are demanding better real-time information to help them both avoid traffic congestion and make smarter use of public transport. Embedding mobile connectivity directly into vehicles can enable drivers and passengers to see live traffic flows in their localities, as well as the expected arrival time of the next bus, ferry or tram.Long reserved for mostly high-end vehicles, these kinds of telematics systems are on the cusp of becoming a mass-market phenomenon: the cost of embedded mobile connectivity is falling towards a tipping point which will enable them to become a standard feature on all new vehicles. Worldwide, penetration of telematics systems in vehicles will climb from less than 10 per cent in 2010 to 23 per cent in 2015, according to
This is great news for the transport industry. Widespread deployment of telematics services would create a virtuous circle. As more vehicles become capable of transmitting data about their location and speed to transport control systems, the quantity and quality of real-time information will improve, enabling individuals, companies and transport agencies to make smarter decisions, ultimately cutting journey times and fuel usage. Smarter transport is something that both consumers and businesses really care about. In Europe, for example, 70 per cent of people are interested in real-time traffic information, according to consultancy Booz & Co.
The key to making telematics mass-market is achieving economies of scale and that is where the
As well as helping solve many of the problems bedevilling the world's transport systems, embedding mobile connectivity into vehicles improves the lives of travellers and the efficiency of companies in several other ways. We believe there are essentially four areas in which embedded mobile systems can make a major contribution.
Safer and more secure
Firstly, embedded mobile can make journeys safer and reduce the likelihood of theft. In the event of an accident, a vehicle can use an embedded mobile connection to immediately alert the emergency services, providing contextual information, such as the location of the incident and the speed the vehicle was travelling. This technology is already well-established in some markets, such as the US, where there is a solid legacy of safety and driver assistance services.The
Providing infotainment
In addition to transmitting real-time traffic information, embedded mobile connectivity also opens the door to an array of infotainment services. An in-car computer connected to the Internet via a mobile network could provide the vehicle's driver with information on local parking spaces, restaurants, petrol stations and other amenities, together with weather forecasts. The same system could be used to provide passengers with entertainment services, such as in-car television, video downloads and access to social networking. Similarly, embedded mobile technology can entertain and inform passengers on trains, buses, ferries and other forms of public transport. The GSMA is working with mobile operators and vehicle manufacturers to explore the potential business models that could underpin such services.Enabling remote monitoring
Telematics systems are already widely used by companies to help manage their vehicle fleets and keep track of containers and other elements of their supply chain. Now, embedded mobile systems are also being used by car manufacturers to monitor how often their vehicles are being driven and how far - information they can use to design better vehicles. Manufacturers can also use that data to offer drivers a remote diagnostics service, preventative maintenance and extended warranties, strengthening the customer relationship. The availability of real-time data on a vehicle's usage can also enable pay-as-you-drive insurance, road-pricing programmes and better fleet management for large organisations. The GSMA is developing technical guidelines for such services to ensure interoperability and help the telematics industry achieve greater economies of scale.Of course, mobile connectivity on board vehicles can also vastly improve traffic monitoring systems and help transport agencies make best use of the growing number of variable message signs designed to ease congestion. Mobile operator
Better public transport
Finally, embedded mobile connectivity on board buses and other forms of public transport can be used to provide potential passengers with more accurate information on arrival and departure times. For example, using real-time location data transmitted via a mobile connection, an electronic display on a bus stop can show the likely arrival time of the next bus. Similar technology could be used to enhance taxi, tram and ferry services. In the South Korean cities of Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Incheon, the local authorities, taxi companies and mobile operators KT and SK Telecom have developed a service which uses the mobile networks and GPS technology to alert taxis within a 1.5km radius of an incoming call. The job is assigned to the first taxi to respond. About 55,000 taxis use the system, which saves fuel consumption by optimising taxi dispatching while also helping drivers to quickly find new passengers.Overcoming fragmentation
Although transport systems are beginning to harness the benefits of telematics, adoption of this potent technology is being held back by fragmentation and the lack of economies of scale needed to make widespread deployment commercially viable. Today, some solutions are unnecessarily complex, using Bluetooth or other short-range wireless solutions to connect in-vehicle systems to the driver's handset, which then uses a mobile network to connect to the internet. Moreover, the software application that underpins a service is sometimes hosted on the driver's handset, sometimes on an embedded device in the car, sometimes on the web and sometimes by a hybrid solution. This complexity is exacerbated by different manufacturers using different communications protocols within their vehicles.To reduce this fragmentation, the GSMA is working with both the automotive and the mobile industries to demonstrate the business logic behind a move from highly fragmented after-market solutions, such as handset-based applications, to low-cost, interoperable and highly scalable solutions embedded in the vehicle.
Forging a cross-industry dialogue
Another complicating factor is the wide variation in the development cycles across software, mobile hardware and automotive hardware. To overcome this, the GSMA is seeking to forge much greater cooperation and product planning across the different parties in the value chain. In particular, we are looking to promote cross-industry solutions based on the GSMA's module guidelines, while getting broad support for open standards throughout the telematics ecosystem. We are aiming to establish an industry-level dialogue about creating standardised and interoperable solutions for the transfer of data, access to vehicle electronics and the modem and processor architectures.The GSMA is also exploring the potential to integrate embedded mobile solutions into smart transport infrastructure initiatives, as well as investigating the scope for shared infrastructure solutions for emergency support. At the same time, we are engaging with policy-makers around the world to ensure that the potential of in-vehicle mobile systems isn't curbed unnecessarily by excessive or misguided regulations. To maximise the positive safety impact of telematics, we plan to promote the safe use of embedded mobile systems to both consumers and regulatory agencies.
To conclude, the GSMA believes that the time for telematics has come and that embedding mobile connectivity directly into vehicles is the most elegant, reliable and cost-effective approach. The GSMA's new Embedded mTelematics programme is designed to enable the mobile and the transport industries to work together to realise the full potential of telematics to both improve people's quality of life and make businesses more efficient and productive.
The GSMA is actively seeking the participation of the automotive industry. For more information on the programme, please email <%$Linker:
