Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2019.  Read them in this 11th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.

Contributed by Kate Migon, Head of Automotive & Mobility Services, Americas, Gemalto

2019: Apps Eat the Car and Driving Gets Personal

Our expectations for driving experiences that mix in digital services will soon change thanks to a wave of new connected in-car technologies coming in 2019. These will let drivers personalize their car to their needs both actively through the options and apps they choose, and passively, as algorithms crunch data about their driving habits to optimize vehicle systems and serve up new conveniences.

Some features in new 2019 connected cars will be notable improvements to familiar systems. Navigation apps are transforming into voice-activated digital assistants, helping you change routes or make a quick stop without taking your attention off the road.

As you drive around, algorithms crunching “Big Data” about your daily habits will make your day a little easier. Your car can order you coffee around the time you normally leave for work and send traffic updates and route options to your phone when it’s time to head home. If it’s cold out, connected electric vehicles might automatically preheat your car five minutes before you usually get in.

Newer systems can also use data about your driving style to personalize your car’s performance around the way you use it. Highway drivers’ cars might shut down engine cylinders, lower the suspension and auto-inflate the tires when you hit an on-ramp, while city commuters’ cars might pass data between one another and with infrastructure to reduce traffic congestion (and handle the stopping-and-going for you). Some of these features are available today and some are in the works, but it will still be a few years before widespread benefits come into focus.

Similarly, facial recognition systems are making inroads in the automotive industry but likely won’t be widespread in the near term. Today, cars are already using cameras to monitor for distracted driving and other hazards, and we should expect more advanced facial recognition systems to be a theme at this year’s major shows like the Detroit Auto Show, or at tech events like CES and SXSW where car technologies have taken more of the spotlight in recent years.

Those new systems will be able to verify your identity when you use your car mobile wallet to pay for coffee, gasoline or tolls. Facial recognition will also help you manage other peoples’ use of your car based on identification and personalization; if your teenager is driving your car can enforce a top speed, or you can keep them from driving if they’re out past their curfew (without your permission) or there’s bad weather.  

Facial recognition will also be integral in car personalization, loading your climate control, seat, mirror, dashboard and more settings when you get in. That may seem trivial today; these settings rarely change in your current car. However, we’re quickly approaching an era where sharing a car is more common than owning one, and creature comforts like instantly-loaded settings or face-unlock will be competitive differentiators.

Whether that’s in three years, five years or even later, we’ll see automakers taking more strides towards a world that favors shared vehicle ownership in 2019. Expect more new models to ship with sharing-friendly options like virtual, digitally-shareable car keys, parking finder and car locator apps, subscription-style pricing and more.

As all these technologies come together in the next few generations of cars, they’ll create a significant change in our relationship with vehicles and transportation. Drivers will expect the cars they use to still be personalized to their driving habits and needs, but they may not own the car they’re driving. Getting toll invoices in the mail may be a thing of the past, while your car making seamless (sometimes called “invisible”) payments for things like coffee and parking could be commonplace. In fact, cars could make facial recognition technology as widely accepted as smartphones made fingerprint readers over the last five years. And, to draw another parallel to the ubiquity of mobile devices, car sales or car share program enrollments might increasingly depend not on the cars themselves, but the apps drivers can get that mix digital services into the on-road experience.

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About the Author

Kate Migon leads Gemalto’s New Mobility and Automotive units and drives the identification of new opportunities and trends around security, personalization, and user experience in travel and transportation. With over 10 years of industry experience, she has focused on creating a market driven by innovative technological advancements and improved customer experience. Kate loves riding her motorcycle, experimenting with new hobbies and finding the best restaurant in town.