Crowdtesting in the automotive industry

The biggest “pains” for the automotive industry

Today’s automotive industry is increasingly using digital services. As technology advances and consumer demand for a deeper in-car experience increases, cars are becoming smarter.

To achieve this, they’re nearly always on and always connected. Such constant connectivity comes with many challenges: security (of both data and potentially of the vehicle’s passengers if the systems are hacked), the quality of data streaming, the ability to connect to the Internet and other Internet of Things devices. The list is extensive.

This is further complicated by the devices themselves. A car will be developed over several years but many of our connected devices are developed far more rapidly – and replaced just as fast. It’s not only essential to ensure they work together but that updates to the software are safe. Such over-the-air updates are becoming more common. But there are concerns. An update can introduce bugs that directly affect the safety of the car and, as such, can become a danger to those in (and outside) of it.

Every time an app is updated, the entire service can be broken or opened to exploitation. Extensive testing is necessary to counter this.

Finally, it’s important to consider the data that the car receives – whether directly or via any third-party device. How accurate is it, how recent? Ensuring the quality of data received is extremely important when decisions are made in seconds out on the road. Is the weather report correct – is there snow ahead? Is the navigation up to date – can it divert the driver around an accident? And are car owners receiving the data quickly enough while being assured it’s accurate?