Auto Makers Clash with Tech Giants over Vehicle Data Control

The auto industry is on a collision course with tech companies like Apple and Google over control of vehicle data. Automotive giants Ford, GM, and Volkswagen's Audi are resisting the tech giants' efforts to access data from car computer systems to expand their infotainment systems, while the auto makers aim to monetize this information themselves. The stakes are high, with auto companies projecting billions of dollars in revenue from e-commerce transactions based on vehicle data.

Key Takeaways:

The auto makers are limiting data sharing with Apple and Google to protect their ability to create value from new digital services built on vehicle data.
Don Butler, Ford's executive director of connected vehicle and services, emphasized the need for auto companies to control access to vehicle data to safeguard their future revenue streams.
General Motors expects to generate an additional $350 million in revenue over three years from high-speed in-built data connections in its cars.
Consultant AlixPartners estimates that digitally connected cars will boost global revenues from $16 billion in 2013 to $40 billion by 2018.
Some car companies are developing their own proprietary systems, like Ford's Sync 3, to complement Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto.
Debates surround the ownership and control of vehicle data, with the auto makers striving to prevent tech providers from gaining access to potentially profitable information.

Statistics:

$16 billion: Estimated global revenues from connected cars in 2013 (AlixPartners)
$40 billion: Estimated global revenues from connected cars by 2018 (AlixPartners)
$350 million: Projected additional revenue from General Motors over three years from high-speed in-built data connections in its cars
2013: Year in which AlixPartners estimated global revenues from connected cars to be $16 billion
2018: Year by which estimates suggest global revenues from connected cars will reach $40 billion

Sources:

"Auto makers clash with tech giants over vehicle data control"
Business: Auto (http://nycity.today/business/auto)
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