Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

The cloud-based car is arriving

The cloud-based car is arriving

The notion of the car as a "computer on wheels" is moving past the realm of hype and closer to reality, which will transform the driving experience and improve road safety, too.

The arrival of long-promised technologies like 5G connectivity and new high-performance computers means cars will improve over time, instead of depreciating the minute they leave the dealer lot. 

  • With software updates, buyers will be able to add features or services that weren't available at the time of purchase or enhance their ride with customized apps.
  • And once 5G is widely deployed, cars will also be able to communicate with each other and with the surrounding ecosystem, providing situational awareness and helping to avoid collisions.
"Just like our phones and our televisions, the car is no longer this static, fixed product that you’re buying. Now it keeps getting updated. It’s part of the ecosystem. If there’s a new charging station built in your neighborhood, your (electric) car will know about it," 

— Nakul Duggal, senior vice president of Qualcomm Automotive

This is nothing new to Tesla, whose high-tech cars are already like mobile supercomputers. But for legacy automakers whose technology is finally catching up, it's nothing short of revolutionary. 

At this week's virtual CES show — and at technology showcases timed to coincide with the event — companies were promoting what they call "software-defined vehicles."

  • It means software in the cloud — not the mechanical parts under the hood — will control both a car's operation as well as the passenger experience. 
  • Panasonic, for example, touted a new head-up display enhanced with augmented reality — graphics projected on the windshield that provide real-time awareness about traffic, obstacles or directions. 
  • Harman, meanwhile, introduced a new cloud-based platform that would let passengers turn their car into a video gaming arena or virtual concert venue. 

It's all being driven by a convergence of big, important trends. 

  • 5G has arrived. The first 5G-equipped vehicles are already on the road in China, and arriving soon in the rest of the world. With a fatter pipe, information can move more quickly in and out of vehicles. 
  • Existing cars can't handle that data explosion, so carmakers are stripping out their existing patchwork of 100-plus individual control units for everything from airbags to windows, and replacing them with a few super-efficient, high-performance computers designed by big suppliers like Continental and Aptiv.
  • Means there's plenty of juice to run those new electrical architectures. 

BMW's iX, an electric SUV starting production this summer in Germany, will be the first 5G-capable vehicle in the U.S. It goes on sale later this year in Europe, and will arrive here in early 2022.

  • By 2023, nearly 5 million cars globally, representing 75 brands, will have 5G capability, according to IHS Markit. 

Consumers expect their digital lives to follow them everywhere, including into their cars. The technology is finally here for automakers to deliver.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×