- This topic is empty.
Viewing 1 post (of 1 total)
-
Posts
-
The growing adoption of Internet-connected cars could eventually eradicate dedicated vehicle trackers in South Africa.
However, cellular networks and major car manufacturers expect dedicated aftermarket trackers to be around for some time as it is not possible to retrofit connected car services to older models.
In addition, vehicle tracking companies will continue to be necessary to support critical supplementary services such as emergency response and stolen vehicle recovery.
Several major vehicle manufacturers — including BMW and Totota — have SIMs or eSIMs in their cars with built-in modems to connect to the Internet, enabling remote monitoring of the car’s performance metrics and location, among many other benefits.
A salesperson at a Toyota dealership recently told a MyBroadband reader buying a Corolla Cross that they were seeing more successes with vehicle recoveries using the MyToyota connected car service than when using some dedicated trackers.
Due to high rates of vehicle theft and hijacking and the demand for business fleet monitoring, car tracking has become a major business in South Africa.
We asked the country’s two biggest mobile networks and major vehicle manufacturers whether connected car services posed a threat to conventional car tracking companies.
To support Internet connectivity in cars, vehicle manufacturers must partner with mobile operators.
The networks provision the SIMs with mobile data and value-added services to be able to transmit information between the car and the Internet.
A Vodacom spokesperson told MyBroadband that connected services had the potential to replace traditional tracking solutions — in some cases.
“This will depend on the specific needs of an organisation or car owner,” they explained. “Ultimately, the decision will come down to the cost of the service.”
“In South Africa, vehicle tracking is closely linked to insurance premiums, going beyond simple location tracking on an app to include advanced services such as 24/7 nationwide recovery operations.”
“Many consumers can offset the cost of a traditional tracker through insurance premium discounts or by having it included as part of their insurance plan.”
“Insurers not only use these devices to lower premiums but also to introduce new services based on the data they generate.”
MTN agreed that Internet-connected car services were unlikely to replace dedicated vehicle trackers entirely in the short term.
“Traditional tracking devices serve a specific purpose, which is locating stolen vehicles and managing fleets in real-time,” MTN said.
“Connected car solutions, however, provide a broader suite of services, including remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance, and over-the-air updates.”
“For now, these technologies are more complementary than competitive, but as manufacturer-integrated solutions improve, they could reduce reliance on aftermarket tracking devices.”
Connected car services harder to remove — with more features
Vodacom and MTN said one of the advantages of Internet-connected services is that their supporting devices were installed during vehicle production.
With deeper integration in the car’s architecture, they are less accessible to criminals.
In addition to being more theft-resistant, connected car services have a much wider range of applications than dedicated trackers.
“Beyond connectivity, these apps offer value-added features such as roadside assistance, battery health monitoring, service booking, and digital logbooks,” Vodacom said.
“Manufacturers are continuously investing in new capabilities to generate recurring revenue, as seen with BMW ConnectedDrive, which provides premium features through a monthly subscription model.”
With an increased focus on software improvements, another major benefit of connected car services is the ability to deliver over-the-air updates to the vehicle without the need to visit a dealership.
However, the Vodacom spokesperson explained that dedicated vehicle trackers could also be difficult to remove when a telematics provider partnered with a manufacturer.
“Their devices can offer the same level of security and integration, as they are also factory-installed and embedded within the vehicle’s systems,” Vodacom said.
“A key example of this is our partnership with Toyota and Netstar for the MyToyota service which is a custom-built solution that leverages the distinct capabilities of each partner to deliver a seamless and innovative Connected Car experience.”
They also emphasised how tracking services complemented the connected car ecosystem.
“Unlike vehicle manufacturers, tracking companies maintain nationwide teams and collaborate with security organisations and insurance providers to combat vehicle theft, making them a critical part of South Africa’s vehicle security landscape,” they said.
BMW South Africa told MyBroadband that it still encouraged customers to install dedicated trackers for stolen vehicle recovery.
MTN also pointed out some of the downsides of connected car services, including that they cannot be installed in any vehicle, while dedicated trackers were compatible with almost any new or used cars.
In addition, connected car services rely on manufacturers for software updates and feature expansions, which may not always align with local needs.
Viewing 1 post (of 1 total)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.