The Automotive Industry Goes Driving in the Cloud

Featured article by Jeremy Sutter, Independent Technology Author

Just when you think that you have seen it all, as far as cars and technology are concerned, the automotive industry takes it to another level. While the ability to create cars that have the capacity to fly may be quite a way off, that has not stopped the automobile industry from doing some incredible things with the latest cars off of the assembly line. According to a recent article by CSC, the automotive industry has turned to cloud computing, big data technology and location awareness as a means of integrating the latest in computing technology into the driving experience. With innovating cloud solutions like Hadoop, the innovative capacity of car manufacturer has expanded exponentially. Hadoop cluster on the cloud can help lower the cost of innovation by handling variable resource requirement and handling batch workloads more efficiently.

The Current Impact of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has already made a significant impact on both, social and business processes. Based on an article published by ZDNet, the benefits associated with cloud computing far outweigh the risks. Additionally, many of the questions and challenges that were considered problematic a couple of years ago, as far as the cloud is concerned, are no longer an issue. Cloud solutions are being created on a daily basis, and the automobile industry is poised to take advantage of this technology.

Location Based Services

Innovations that are on the horizon for new automobiles include location based services. These types of services will completely change driver and vehicle interactions. With location based services, your car will not only warn you that you are low on fuel, but it will also be able to advise you of the nearest gas station. Location based services will also allow drivers to share their location with select companies in exchange for certain discounts. The breadth of the capacity for convenience afforded by location based services is yet to be determined.

Autonomous Driving and Enhanced Safety

The latest in technology has effectively transformed cars into a mobile computing mechanism that has the capacity to actually engage road conditions and potential hazards, warning drivers of hazards they may not be aware of — even stopping on its own when it senses an object in front of the it.

Cloud Technology as a Modality to Drive Sales

While face-to-face engagement at the dealership has always been one of the ways that car manufacturers have gauged the attitudes and buying habits of car buyers, more manufacturers are looking for ways to get close to the customer on a more consistent and permanent basis. By using the cloud to monitor the driving activity and behavior of customers, manufacturers will be able to better improve the overall driving experience — allowing them to remain competitive in one of the most competitive industries in the world.

Cloud computing is also being used to improve vehicle engineering — allowing for the creation of smaller center consoles. Additionally, the advance in technology will also provide the capacity to reduce the amount of hardware that currently exists underneath the dash. The reduction in hardware could lead to a lighter vehicle and more legroom for front-seat occupants.

Not only can cloud computing help improve engineering, but it can also improve the driving dynamics. With many vehicles having electronically adjusted suspensions, the cloud creates the capacity to have the suspension adjusted automatically — resulting in a highly customized ride. The same can be said for vehicles with sway bars that can be electronically disconnected for off-roading.

With cloud computing being able to monitor driving activity, it can be used to impact insurance policy rates.

While some of the technological advancements that cloud computing is expected to facilitate is still in the developmental stages, many of the benefits can be observed in cars that are coming off the line in 2017 and beyond. In the quest to provide the best driving experience possible, car manufacturers have taken the use of computer technology to the next level. While cloud computing does come with some security challenges, there are not nearly as many questions as it was two years ago.