Harsha Bagur, Group Head, Automotive Infotainment (IVI), Car Multimedia, Robert Bosch. His expertise lies in developing and executing Telecom (Mobile handsets) and Real-Time Embedded (Telematics & Infotainment – Automotive) Systems .

Some of his past roles have involved Group Head, IVI Systems, Navigation & Multimedia and previously Program Manager, Car Navigation & Infotainment Systems – Robert Bosch GmbH, Manager, Wireless Technologies – MindTree and Technical Architect -Samsung Telecommunications. He holds a BE, Electronics & Communications, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, BE, Electronics & Communications, SJCE, University of Mysore and an Executive Program in Business Management, Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta,

Harsha Bagur’s session – “IoT – Connected Car – Technology Trends & Opportunities” covered a trending topic that promises to disrupt the transportation industry, as we know it. Here are the key Lounge47 takeaways:

1. Connected Cars are vehicles that use any from a range of communication technologies to communicate a) with the driver b) with other cars on the road (vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V)) c) road infrastructure (vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I)) and d) the “Cloud”

2. Status today? a) Only a fraction of future automated and connected vehicle technologies are available today b) Although individual aspects of the connected driving experience are established the integrated whole is not c) The public today only enjoys up to level 2 on a 5 level scale of 0 to full automation. Level 4 vehicles are however being tested

3. 2014 milestones: a) Google and Apple target the car dashboard with ‘Android Auto’ and ‘Carplay’ platforms b) Google makes autonomous cars real with its self driving car d) Automotive companies begin to take customer data protection seriously e) Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) technology gets the regulatory nod

4. Questions: Is the car the new Tech battleground? Will there be an Apple car? What business models will prevail? Are Uber-like companies preparing the market for the self-driving car? Would Self-driving cars make owning a car a thing of the past?

5. Benefits: a) Savings in terms of increased people productivity b) reduced gasoline usage due to efficient driving c) reduced road infrastructure maintenance d) Increased safety

6. Challenges: a) Developing a UI/UX that minimizes driver distraction b) Customer Data security c) In-car and remote cyber crime d) Liability – where does it sit?

7.Opportunities: a) In-car data that could serve consumers, drivers themselves, marketers, hardware manufactures, car companies and insurance companies b) Aftermarket solutions c) IoT products & solutions. 47b market today set to grow to 270b USD by 2020. Revenue potential per connected car estimated to be 1400 USD/vehicle/year

8. Opportunities in India: The Indian market will take time to mature. In the short-term: a) Parking Management b) Connected Infrastructure (e.g. smart cities) c) Insurance – Usage Based Insurance, driving pattern monitoring & support d) Radio Taxi Service – e.g. Ola, Uber e) Transportation as a Service – Personal mobility, Goods mobility f) Service Stations – cloud-based diagnostics & preventive care g) Battery technologies – Charging stations offer opportunities.

In summary – realization of the Connected Car vision and the benefits it brings hinges not on the technology challenges but on whether it will win consumer acceptance and trust.