By Andrew Hart, SBD Senior ITS and Telematics Specialist According to a recently published report by international automotive analysts SBD, navigation software is rapidly becoming a commodity in Europe and USA, which will lead to standard-fit navigation on smartphones accounting for over 70% of ... [More]

The recent approval of the ITS Directive by the European Parliament has received widespread coverage within the telematics industry, but there remains a great deal of confusion about what it actually means. Contrary to various claims, the approval of the ITS Directive does not mean that eCall ha... [More]

After many years of slow growth within the telematics industry, vehicle manufacturers are beginning to accelerate the launch of new services in order to meet consumer expectations for a connected in-car experience. Over 130 services are now offered by 22 brands in Europe and the USA. Many more serv... [More]

For the first time, the annual National Vehicle Crime Conference was jointly hosted by Association of Chief Police Officers Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS) and International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI). This two day conference was held at Jaguar Cars Heritage Centre in... [More]

The evolution of in-car navigation is set to take another sharp turn following the announcements by Google and Nokia that they will begin fitting navigation as standard on their smartphones. Although the introduction of standard-fit navigation on smartphones will have a negative short-term impact on... [More]

SBD takes an in-depth look at the latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for helping drivers to stay on the road and avoid accidents. Trends in application development and integration with existing systems are examined, along with analysis of the advanced safety features that are available... [More]

Whilst optional take-up rates are still low due to lack of buyer motivation, overall availability of smart key systems continues to increase in Europe boosted by the trend towards push button start and higher technology vehicles. There are currently 85 systems available from 20 vehicle manufacturers... [More]

David Alexander, ITS and Telematics Senior Specialist, answers questions about the market status, consumer perceptions and future outlook for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Q. ADAS is a generic term for a lot of different safety and convenience-related technologies. What are the diff... [More]

eCall regulation will impact every vehicle manufacturer, and those with little or no experience of European telematics are most at risk. Understanding the technical and market implications of eCall regulation will result in a successful transition towards the connected car and secure your competit... [More]

Items in this month's newsletter include: News from the Consumer Electronics Show 4G Connected Car at Las Vegas MyFord Tough emerges as enhancement to Sync Kia launches UVO entertainment and communication system Developments in Europ... [More]