Security and ease of use are key to the future of car connectivity, according to a new survey from the Car Connectivity Consortium® (CCC). However, security won out as the more important factor for 40% of manufacturers surveyed. Meanwhile, 30% of respondents cited connectivity as their top priority.

The CCC includes member companies from Shanghai to Munich and New York City, with a board of directors that includes representatives from Apple, BMW, Samsung, General Motors, and more.

In its latest report, “Open Roads Ahead,” the organization gathered findings from 250 respondents in more than 20 countries. Those surveyed included automakers, device manufacturers, automotive suppliers, chip vendors, and security providers.

The CCC car connectivity survey listed privacy and security as the top priorities for manufacturers, but cited research by McKinsey that reported the opposite among consumers. About 40% of electric car buyers would be willing to switch manufacturers for better security, they told McKinsey, while half would switch for better connectivity.

The difference highlights the importance of both security and ease of connectivity, which can be at odds on the ground. However, the CCC report went far beyond the security-vs-privacy face-off.

For instance, the car connectivity survey found manufacturers were focused on the following connection types:

• 84% cited Bluetooth
• 77% cited Ultra Wideband (UWB)
• 75% cited Near-Field Communication (NFC)

“The data highlights how the connected vehicle industry is moving from promise to progress,” said Ian Televik, Marketing Director at the CCC, in a press release about the car connectivity survey. “Security and simplicity are now table stakes, and interoperability is the bridge connecting it all.”

The CCC survey also looked at growth opportunities, and vehicle tracking emerged as a key revenue driver.

Among fleet operators surveyed, more than half said they’d seen a positive return on investment within a year of introducing predictive analytics and asset tracking. They pointed to the following outcomes:

• Increased efficiency
• Reduced driver shortages
• Better communication with customers
• Improved competitiveness

Among all companies surveyed, more than 70% said GPS fleet tracking is valuable, while 62% saw fleet management as a key driver of innovation. This figure included expected management of rental and rideshare fleets.

“To make for a more seamless experience, rental car fleets are working to digitize the entire journey,” the car connectivity survey reads. “Car rental companies are starting to use AI to predict customer preferences, such as vehicle type, duration of the rental, and other add-on services.”

Globally, the connected car device market is expected to grow to $100 billion by 2033, according to another recent study from Verified Market Reports. In 2024, that market was valued at $40 billion.