Auto Industry Updates: Geotab, Trimble, STMicroelectronics, Soracom, AECC, Cipia, ARM, Seeing Machines, Mitsubishi, HARMAN, Phison, and Sibros all featured in connected car news.
Connected Car Technologies: A Collaborative Approach
The automotive industry is witnessing a surge in collaboration as companies join forces to advance connected car technologies. This collaborative spirit is evident in various partnerships and alliances, with the goal of enhancing connectivity, monetization, vehicle safety, and sustainability in the connected vehicle ecosystem.
One such alliance is the Connected Vehicle Systems Alliance (COVESA), a global, open, and collaborative community that brings together automotive and technology companies to develop common standards and advance connected vehicle technologies. COVESA hosts regular meetings, such as the fall 2025 gathering in Michigan, where global stakeholders share knowledge and collaborate.
A prominent example of cross-industry partnership is the collaboration between Toyota, Vodafone, NTT Data, and Netcracker. This partnership aims to monetize federated connectivity for automotive OEMs, leveraging cloud platforms, 5G slicing, and open APIs to provide real-time, low-latency connected vehicle services.
Individual companies are also contributing to the connected car ecosystem. For instance, Cipia is teaming up with Arm to showcase its Driver Sense Driver Monitoring System at Embedded World 2025, designed to run efficiently on Arm Cortex CPUs. Trimble has announced a collaboration with STMicroelectronics to enhance positioning solutions for automotive and IoT applications.
In the realm of fleet solutions, Geotab's collaboration with Freightliner reflects its commitment to providing innovative solutions for modern fleet challenges. Utilimaster, a brand of The Shyft Group, has unveiled two new purpose-built work truck solutions: the Utilimaster Trademaster Service Body and the Marketplace Dry Freight Truck, a lightweight, high-capacity solution for service and delivery fleets, reducing weight by 900 pounds compared to similar models.
Safety is another area where collaboration is making a difference. Mercedes-Benz has introduced the Connected Traffic Warnings feature to provide real-time hazard alerts to truck drivers, improving road safety. Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America has signed a Referral Agreement with Seeing Machines to promote the Guardian Generation 3 driver monitoring system across the Americas.
The connected car landscape is also seeing advancements in areas such as advanced driver assistance, infotainment, vehicle testing, and AI-powered vehicle systems. Joint developments and information exchanges at industry events and through alliances reflect an ongoing industry trend towards interoperability, data sharing, and joint solutions to tackle complex challenges in connected vehicles.
In the realm of data management, Sibros has partnered with ZO Motors North America to develop a unified data and fleet analytics cloud platform for ZM Trucks' commercial electric vehicles. The expanded integration allows fleet operators to access critical vehicle data and insights through the MyGeotab fleet management platform.
The collaborative approach is also evident in the operation of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) programs. Curb has managed the program since 2020, achieving a 95% trip completion rate, making it one of the most effective WAV programs in the country. The City of Chicago has renewed its contract with Curb to operate its Centralized Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) Taxicab Dispatch Service for a two-year term, with three optional renewals.
In summary, the automotive industry is intensely collaborative on connected car technologies, with alliances like COVESA, cross-industry partnerships, and multi-company participation driving advancements in connectivity, monetization, vehicle safety, and sustainability in the connected vehicle ecosystem.
- The Connected Vehicle Systems Alliance (COVESA) is a global alliance that brings together automotive and technology companies to develop common standards and advance connected vehicle technologies.
- The collaboration between Toyota, Vodafone, NTT Data, and Netcracker aims to monetize federated connectivity for automotive OEMs.
- Cipia is teaming up with Arm to showcase its Driver Sense Driver Monitoring System, designed to run efficiently on Arm Cortex CPUs.
- Geotab's collaboration with Freightliner reflects its commitment to providing innovative solutions for modern fleet challenges.
- Mercedes-Benz has introduced the Connected Traffic Warnings feature to provide real-time hazard alerts to truck drivers, improving road safety.
- Sibros has partnered with ZO Motors North America to develop a unified data and fleet analytics cloud platform for ZM Trucks' commercial electric vehicles.
