Connected Car Industry Expected to Exceed $130B Annually by 2019
Drivers pushing for real-time navigation information.
The global connected car market is expected to grow into a $131.9 billion industry by 2019. It will be a separate business, but it will be linked to the auto industry, according to a new report.
The report from Transparency Market Research report, titled “Connected Car Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2013 – 2019,” was reinforced by news from GM China that Shanghai Onstar has more than 1 million customers new across China.
2017 Fleet Outlook: Cost Increases Accelerating
Fleet expenses across the board are likely to increase at a slightly faster rate in 2017 than they did last year
By Mark Boada, Senior Editor
While in most areas the hikes are expected to be moderate, in two areas – fuel and accident repairs -- they’re expected to outpace the general rate of inflation.
The consensus estimate among economists is that, barring any major global shocks, the U.S. economy is going to grow a bit more quickly this year, at a rate of between 2.1 to 2.6 percent compared to 1.6 to 1.9 percent for all of 2016. Faster growth is also expected to be accompanied by a higher rate of inflation and higher interest rates.
None of this changes the fact that all of the numbers remain below historic averages -- inflation has averaged about 3 percent for the past 80 years -- but they do indicate that they have already bottomed out and that all figures have started to revert back toward historic norms. Aggravating the situation is that with unemployment already below 5 percent and expected to fall to 4.5, employers are being forced to raise salaries and wages.
All of this means corporate profits will be squeezed in 2017, and fleets will be facing mounting pressure to control expenses even as they watch operating costs on all fronts to go higher more quickly from this point onward. Here is a quick look at some of the details:
Submissions For NAFA’s 2017 Fleet Excellence Awards Conclude In January
The fleet industry is a powerful think-tank where great ideas in management, sustainability, and even the very design and adaptation of automotive vehicles are born.
Each year NAFA celebrates the great ideas and money- and time-saving concepts that rise from the innovation of the fleet profession. NAFA’s Fleet Excellence Awards (FLEXY) honors the game-changers in the profession.
The 2017 Fleet Excellence Awards submission deadline is January 20, 2017. Embarking on its fifth year, the FLEXYs will once again award in the fields of sustainability, safety, and overall fleet management achievement.
Driver Safety and The One-Second Advantage
The best way for drivers to stay safe is to see further ahead - so that they can identify problems that might occur, and then avoid them completely. This award-winning safety program is built around that philosophy.
Embracing Change Brings Value to You and Your Company
By Laura Jozwiak, Senior Vice President of Sales and Client Relations, Wheels, Inc.
What do you think of when you hear the word “change”? For some, it can conjure up thoughts of fear, uneasiness, and potentially more work.
If you allow those thoughts to take hold, it can obscure your ability to grow and do what is right for your organization. Change is happening in our industry at a rapid rate. Are you positioned to turn this change into an opportunity? I would suggest the key to adapting and taking advantage of change is to watch for it, learn from it, embrace it and act upon it.
