Is Your Connected Car Turning Into A Digital Billboard?
The MBUX or Mercedes-Benz User Experience infotainment system.
The way our connected cars are linked to our smartphones, to manufacturers, and to third-party service providers is done to ensure our utmost convenience and comfort. There is nothing on paper about using the data collected from our cars and turning that data into a marketing ploy.
Marketers know too well how the data collected from a connected car can help them reach a potential $750 billion in profit by 2030. That figure from McKinsey may be astronomical at first but imagine the possibilities of what marketers can do with this kind of data. Thanks to large infotainment screens, they could effectively send out advertisements to your screens at the most effective and opportune time.
Imagine the possibilities. You are cruising along the highway when suddenly your luxury SUV hits a snag and your tires blow. Without a companion, you have to change the tires all by yourself. After fitting the tires, you’re back on the road, but on the next traffic signal, a message on your screen pops out that offers a roadside assistance 24/7 for just $20 a month. After spending an hour changing your tire and having to explain to your boss why you’re late, you may think that a $20 bill isn’t so bad after all. You click to pay and the marketers win.
How about if you’re driving to the mall with your kids in tow when a car suddenly stops in front of you causing you to hit on the brakes hard? The system will send a message to the manufacturer about a near-collision event. The next thing you know, while you’re contemplating about how your kids will live without you, there’s a message on your screen about insurance. The company is offering a life insurance policy, which will protect the future of your kids for just $5. After that run-in with the bad driver, you will be inclined to accept the deal.
More connectivity with our cars means more opportunity for marketers. It’s only a matter of time until our infotainment screens get flooded with ads.
