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In this blog series, we’ll be unpacking the latest news in the smart mobility industry in a little more detail. Each week, we’ll focus on fresh topics and cover emerging stories and research that has caught our attention. This time, we’re discussing in-vehicle payment technology and the driverless car market… 

Integrating digital payments into vehicles could be the next step for connected cars, the world’s first self-driving HGV is on the way, and the autonomous vehicles market is growing exponentially. We’re bringing you up to speed on the latest in smart mobility – with insights into how Wejo’s Smart Mobility For Good™ products and solutions can empower change. 

FinTech: As automotive technology advances, could the future of digital payments involve us paying for groceries and settling parking fines from our vehicle?

This brings about possibilities for our vehicles to become more than just means of transportation.  

With vehicles becoming more intelligent, consumers will soon be able to pay for things like fuel, parking and drive-throughs all from the comfort of the driving seat. No more winding down windows of fumbling around trying to find your wallet or phone.  

More intelligent and connected vehicles will create a far more seamless experience for the drivers, imagine your vehicle knowing its running low on fuel, ordering the right amount at the nearest station and paying for it - all you have to do is confirm the action on the driver-interface.  

This potential has been driven by the EV car markets, where OEMs were forced to re-design vehicles from the chassis up, and reinvent onboard systems to be more driver focused.

Hear from Wejo’s EVP of Strategy – Sarah Larner’s views on this story, and on the potential of in-vehicle payments.

CarScoops: World’s First Self-Driving Hydrogen Truck To Begin Testing In 2024 After $8M Funding  

Hydrogen-powered vehicles are coming, and what’s more, they’re autonomous…

A consortium led by HVS in the UK has received funding to develop and deliver the worlds first hydrogen-powered, autonomous, HGV.  

The £6.6 million ($8.07 million) will be used to create two prototype vehicles. One will feature a drivers cab whilst also having a human safety driver at the wheel, the other will be completely autonomous and replace the drivers cab with a more aerodynamic front.  

The aim is to develop the next generation of logistics and demonstrate the potential that AVs have in the transportation sector.

How Wejo is accelerating AV development > 

Last September, Wejo unveiled DLIVEREE™: an AV prototype designed to develop and demonstrate Wejo’s Autonomous Vehicle Operating System (AV-OS) that will draw on live, real-time connected vehicle data to support future AV development, testing, and operation.

The AV prototype allows Wejo to build, test and demonstrate Wejo’s live API data powering AV development projects – including freight, delivery and robotaxi or ride-hailing vehicle use cases. In the words of Wejo Founder and CEO, “Wejo is not entering the race to develop autonomous vehicles but we are propelling AV adoption forward, and the prototype we are developing will demonstrate how Wejo’s AV-OS can empower AV developers by rapidly accelerating innovation to realize the full potential of AVs.”

Robotics & Automation: Global autonomous cars market size to reach $16 billion by 2030

Demand for connected vehicles and the implementation of IoT tech (Internet of Things), combined with the rise of smart cities, is driving the AV market - according to a new report by Verified Market Research.

Countries like Canada, Mexico and the US are focusing on digital infrastructure to enable further connectivity between vehicles and infrastructure – to ultimately enhance the driver experience.  

This data is also helping drive the autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle markets, as the data helps inform better testing and provides AVs more accurate data in real-time -  reducing congestion and improving the safety of our roads, taking our cities one step closer to becoming truly smart cities.  

This desire, and the increased demand for more connected vehicles is helping to drive the Autonomous Vehicle Market

Discover Wejo’s intelligent AV-OS >

At this moment in time, two of the biggest challenges facing the AV industry are the lack of communication between autonomous vehicles, and the sheer amount of data researchers are sifting through. Luckily, Wejo has the solution. Rather than launching our own AVs, we’re improving what’s available for consumers. To do this, we’ve created Neural Edge – a platform that enables OEMs to reduce huge data overheads, slashing costs in the process. We’ve also built a simulation environment called Better Twin to give us better insights into how humans behave before, during and after a vehicle event. Ultimately, our goal is to aid the AV industry in their journey towards optimizing the autonomous vehicle offering.

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Want to learn more?

For further insights into the goings-on in the mobility industry, check out our resource center, or speak to our team by filling out the form below.

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