Technology has brought significant changes in the field of communication, which include the development of next-gen communication solutions. This has strengthened the connectivity and the ability to integrate devices in various application sectors. While technology is being incorporated in several end-use industries for the purpose of boosting communications, the ever-growing automotive ecosystem has witnessed increasing adoption of next-generation wireless communication, sensor technology, near-field communication (NFC), automotive radars, and others. Automotive NFC is a short-range bi-directional communication technology that enables the interaction across a specific distance and at a predetermined data transfer rate. The need for convenient communication systems in future automobiles for the fast-paced and automated lives of modern consumers is expected to drive the automotive NFC growth over the years. Moreover, as the automotive manufacturers adopt new and innovative technology in their automobiles, the demand for state-of-the-art communication such as automotive NFC is expected to escalate substantially.
Automotive Manufacturers Eying Cutting-Edge Automotive NFC Integration as Digital Keys Gain Popularity
The automotive NFC providers are gaining major benefits with the increasing adoption of this communication in the next-gen automobiles. The integration of automotive NFC enables automotive manufacturers to provide their customers with next-gen communication solutions that ease the conventional operations. In light of the automotive NFC spate, the automotive manufacturers are introducing new devices and solutions which would offer state-of-the-art technological advancements, especially in the luxury car domain. Leading automotive manufacturers are introducing digital keys with their premium automobile range. For instance, BMW, a well-established name in the automotive industry recently launched NFC digital keys for its two new cars—X5 and X8 series. Furthermore, the company would further provide flexibility to the customers with an option to share their digital keys over-the-air with maximum of five people.
Although digital keys bring ease of operations and quicker locking and unlocking of cars in the automotive industry, it being a digital system, is prone to get hacked, thereby making car theft easier. While the automakers are bullish over the various features and advantages of digital keys, the threat of these keys being hacked has raised concerns. New developments are centered at the mitigation of the risk of hacks. For instance, the new system designed by a globally recognized engineering and electronics company, Bosch is a keyless entry system that is designed to prevent digital car thefts as the technology makes use of the virtual key stored in the smartphone and the sensor in the car that recognizes the smartphone as safely as a fingerprint identification and unlocks the vehicle.
Automotive NFC Integration to Transform Wireless Charging Solutions: New Offerings Underway
Wireless technology has been simplifying various operations across a number of end-use industries. The automotive manufacturers are also reaping the benefits of wireless technology to enhance the experience of the drivers and simplify the tasks attributed to driving. Automotive NFC is expected to offer major advantages as to locking-unlocking, charging, and others. Wireless charging is one such technology that has evolves over the recent times, making its way into the automotive sector. Automotive wireless charging solutions are emerging is modern ways of charging, allowing consumers to make the most of their vehicles. Furthermore, the integration of next-gen communications are further providing consumers with quicker connectivity and utilization. The recently unveiled automotive wireless charging solution integrated with automotive NFC by ROHM, an electronic part manufacturer is one such offering. This automotive NFC integrated wireless charging solution is a combination of the company’s automotive-grade wireless power transmission control IC with the NFC Reader IC and 8-bit microcontrollers, both provided by STMicroelectronics’. Such a system enables consumers to be worry-free pertaining to the alignment of their smartphones to the available charging area to charge their device wirelessly.
Notable Developments Expected to Accelerate NFC Integration in Automotive Industry
Automotive NFC is gaining grounds with the increasing demand for high-level communication in the automotive sector. Owing to this, there are various developments witnessed in the automotive NFC landscape which could transform the way automobiles work. Leading companies operating in the automotive NFC landscape are also making key developments to expand their market footprint. For instance, NXP Semiconductors N.V., a company recognized in the automotive NFC market, with an aim to boost the security in IoT and NFC authentication applications, introduced its new NTAG DNA tag solutions which deliver multilayered security enabled with privacy. Moreover, the company has recently collaborated with Identiv, a global firm offering physical security and secure identification to develop a new NFC tag inlay at an unmatched price. This new tag would enable NFC across next-gen smart devices in a plethora of end-user industries, which previously considered NFC as an expensive technology.
Apart from new developments, strategic alliances centering the deployment of automotive NFC are further contributing to the expanding landscape. For instance, the global standards and advocacy association for Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, the NFC Forum, entered into a collaboration with AIM, a global industry association for the automatic identification industry centering the IoT landscape, further focusing on the objective to collaborate with complementary technologies for the utilization of NFC to help control and connect the anticipated 36 billion IoT-enabled devices in application by 2020. Moreover, NFC Forum also expanded its existing alliance with the Japan Automotive Software Platform and Architecture (JasPar) organization with an aim to allow the two groups to work in close collaboration for expanding the use of automotive NFC.
A research study uncovers the major factors that are expected to drive the growth of the automotive NFC landscape. Readers can gain an understanding of the key opportunities traced by the automotive NFC landscape by clicking here.
