Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - (Page 17) Information INSIGHT Technology Telematics connects with consumers Buyers want services such as Sync; dealers await long-promised payoff Tim Moran autonews@crain.com This special section looks at how linking data in the car to data outside the car is opening possibilities for consumers, dealers and auto companies. JULY 21, 2008 • 17 F or auto dealer Annette Sykora, the promise of the connected vehicle is only beginning to come true. But she is upbeat about telematics — another term for the connected vehicle — because her customers are. Telematics proponents have long believed that using the technology to connect vehicles to the outside world will bring numerous benefits to dealers. Dealers were promised enhanced customer contact, better awareness of what repairs their customers’ vehicles need and improved dealership-customer relationships. “The last decade we have been hearing about things that are going to be helpful in the repair process or for customers. We’re beginning to see maybe the beginning of that true possibility,” says Sykora, chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association. She is the dealer principal of Smith Ford-Mercury in Slaton, Texas, and Smith South Plains Ford-Lincoln-Mercury-Dodge- Chrysler-Jeep in Levelland, Texas. But Sykora adds: “We’re not seeing the actual repair process improve quite yet.” Serve the customer Sykora says car dealers are interested in selling “connectivity” because their customers want it. “Dealers are all about serving the customer,” Sykora says. “So anything that makes it easier for our customer, easier to serve our customer, we’re very interested in.” She cites the Sync system in Ford Motor vehicles as a good example of telematics that customers want. It allows personal devices such as iPods or MP3 players to use in-car audio systems. And newer Sync systems can place emergency calls over the driver’s cell phone. But Sync is not bringing dealers any direct feed from in-car data that would enable them to schedule service or track component failures. Phil Magney, an analyst at Telematics Research Group, of Minnetonka, Minn., divides telematsee TELEMATICS, Page 18 This time, the industry embraces connectivity Tim Moran autonews@crain.com Telematics is back. Services that connect the car to outside data will proliferate in vehicles coming onto the market in 2010, industry observers say. “It’s a really important year. A lot of these partnerships began in late 2007 and will take effect in 2009, 2010,” says Thilo Koslowski, chief telematics analyst at Gartner Inc. “That would be the year, the turning point, for this whole industry to embrace the concept of connected information in the car.” When some initial business attempts failed, many in the auto in- dustry dismissed telematics. But changes in expectations and the availability of the technology in cars have allowed telematics to reboot. New expectations “The initial idea behind telematics was to replicate all the kinds of data services” consumers got from their personal computers, says Koslowski. “That didn’t really go as well as a lot of companies planned.” This time around, consumers’ expectations are different, says see COMEBACK, Page 19 Texas dealer Annette Sykora: “The last decade we have been hearing about things that are going to be helpful in the repair process or for customers. We’re beginning to see maybe the beginning of that true possibility.” JOHN CHILDRESS
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - July 21, 2008 Automotive News - July 21, 2008 Gray sky, not blue; store values wilt Sour Chery: Bricklin suit claims corruption Germans in U.S. eye VW work S.C. warranty insurer faces shutdown LaNeve: Make do with less marketing money Tesla CAFE: 244 mpg Lincoln's big crossover Schaeffler goes shopping: Can supplier land Continental? Dealers cut, shift their ad spending Truck for the times? Oklahoma pickup gets 37 mpg For Chrysler sensations, glory days are gone Kuzak: Redone Fords must have best fuel economy The Fisher brothers: Quite a body of work Kazamai concept: Mazda's design heard round the world 3 years later, Mitsubishi, UAW resume contract talks Big-pickup production will plunge Nason's NHTSA: More rules, fewer penalties A vote for the Volt Hyundai: Genesis gives brand a new beginning in luxury GM may survive; to thrive, it needs hot products GM just bought some time Green can be cool; it's up to the maker Why don't we drive diesels in the U.S.? Hooray! Joint effort stops airbag deaths All-Stars: Look beyond top brass Leno was right about U.S. cars Toyota recalls Siennas, disputes safety issue This time, the industry embraces connectivity Telematics connects with consumers Telematics gets no respect — the word, that is Tapping mapping for an extra eye on the road Drivers can check CO2 'tire print' Pay As You Drive insurance tracks cars to trim costs Subscribers, sponsors may fund telematics services Big-truck sales fall 14% in June Continental plant to make brakes Lear to shut Mo. seating plant Modine shifts production to Ky. Linamar buys Visteon plant Picture this Lexus revamps 'Taste' marketing extravaganzas Suzuki hires new auto ad agency Fisker turns to Finnish firm to make first hybrids American Suzuki gets new president Canada sales slip 5.6% in June Dealers A big fuel saver: Easy-rolling tires (but watch braking) MPG now! Automakers race to boost efficiency Products — not entire brands — likely to be ditched Pared ad budget is back on the chopping block GM goal: Big small-car profits Congress mulls arbitration bill 2009 Mazda6 price: $19,220 Copart files antitrust suit Denton's out, Leuliette's in as Dura CEO June output falls 13.8% Dodge Challenger: Not quite a sellout Magazine is raided in Renault espionage case Ya gotta believe: Dealers buy GM stock States of the auto industry Will the big guns pull the trigger? Lear a year later: Icahn's offer in hindsight Midcourse correction in Toyota's global sales outlook Chattanooga: A good site better Automotive News - July 21, 2008 Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - (Page Intro) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Gray sky, not blue; store values wilt (Page 1) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Gray sky, not blue; store values wilt (Page 2) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Lincoln's big crossover (Page 3) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Truck for the times? Oklahoma pickup gets 37 mpg (Page 4) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Truck for the times? Oklahoma pickup gets 37 mpg (Page 5) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - 3 years later, Mitsubishi, UAW resume contract talks (Page 6) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - 3 years later, Mitsubishi, UAW resume contract talks (Page 7) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - A vote for the Volt (Page 8) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - A vote for the Volt (Page 9) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Hyundai: Genesis gives brand a new beginning in luxury (Page 10) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Hyundai: Genesis gives brand a new beginning in luxury (Page 11) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Why don't we drive diesels in the U.S.? (Page 12) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Why don't we drive diesels in the U.S.? (Page 13) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Leno was right about U.S. cars (Page 14) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Leno was right about U.S. cars (Page 15) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Toyota recalls Siennas, disputes safety issue (Page 16) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Toyota recalls Siennas, disputes safety issue (Page GM1) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Toyota recalls Siennas, disputes safety issue (Page GM2) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Telematics connects with consumers (Page 17) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Telematics connects with consumers (Page 18) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Telematics gets no respect — the word, that is (Page 19) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Tapping mapping for an extra eye on the road (Page 20) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Pay As You Drive insurance tracks cars to trim costs (Page 20A) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Pay As You Drive insurance tracks cars to trim costs (Page 20B) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Pay As You Drive insurance tracks cars to trim costs (Page 20C) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Subscribers, sponsors may fund telematics services (Page 20D) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Subscribers, sponsors may fund telematics services (Page 21) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Linamar buys Visteon plant (Page 22) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Picture this (Page 23) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Fisker turns to Finnish firm to make first hybrids (Page 24) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Canada sales slip 5.6% in June (Page 25) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Canada sales slip 5.6% in June (Page 26) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Canada sales slip 5.6% in June (Page 27) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Canada sales slip 5.6% in June (Page 28) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Canada sales slip 5.6% in June (Page 29) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Canada sales slip 5.6% in June (Page 30) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Canada sales slip 5.6% in June (Page 31) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Dealers (Page 32) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - MPG now! Automakers race to boost efficiency (Page 33) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - GM goal: Big small-car profits (Page 34) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Denton's out, Leuliette's in as Dura CEO (Page 35) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Denton's out, Leuliette's in as Dura CEO (Page 36) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - June output falls 13.8% (Page 37) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Chattanooga: A good site better (Page 38) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Chattanooga: A good site better (Page 39) Automotive News - July 21, 2008 - Chattanooga: A good site better (Page 40)
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