data traffic jams for mobile operators

                                               

CONNECTED CARS could lead to data traffic jams for mobile networks as levels of machine-to-machine (M2M) data overload networks, new research has found.

Analyst firm Machina Research said that mobile operators could face major problems during "rush hour", when "certain cells" will get a 97 percent increase in data traffic, which could have "grave implications".

It is believed that connected cars will be vital in the future as technology becomes more integrated into different aspects of vehicles to make them safer.

Cars of the future will require an internet connection to function to their full potential, and will offer vastly improved safety features. 

They will be able to 'talk' to nearby vehicles and be aware of road conditions at all times, and will present traffic data in real time via the cloud. A range of companies are working on such technologies, including Google and Apple.

"Connected cars, as with other M2M devices, don't behave like smartphones,"said Machina Research founder and CEO Matt Hatton.

"They represent a very diverse set of challenges to operators through highly varying network traffic patterns at different times of the day."

The report added that M2M connections will increase from 250 million this year to 2.3 billion in 2024, and warned that, while operators are anticipating an increase, they may not be anticipating how detrimental it could be to their networks.

It will also be more challenging to handle the data because it will be concentrated in specific areas, such as big cities.

"In terms of overall data volumes, connected cars don't present much of a problem. But network resource management is not based on total traffic volume, it's based on particular cell sites during peak times of network use," said Hatton.

"If connected cars regularly cause network traffic spikes in a particular location that can't be met, there are implications for operators in meeting service level agreements and delivering a positive quality of experience."

The companies that bring connected cars to the masses also have to see that they are completely safe to gain the trust, and the wallets, of consumers.

The worry is that, while internet-dependent cars might offer an improved dashboard, entertainment system, brakes, acceleration, lights and so on, they could be hijacked by hackers.

We've seen examples of this already. Earlier this year, BMW patched a flaw in its ConnectedDrive service that allowed hackers to remotely unlock the doors of more than two million Rolls-Royce, Mini and BMW vehicles.