Verizon is partnering with Globetouch in an effort to make it easier for automakers to integrate cellular connectivity. General Motors will use the service to expand its OnStar connected car service.
The Globetouch platform manages user profiles and diagnostics, collects device and user data for real time analytics, and handles SIM card lifecyle management. The company said that by partnering with Verizon Telematics it will “take the complexity out of carrier and agreement management” and provide “a single point of integration for GM and other automotive OEMs.”
Last year, GM announced the integration of IBM’s Watson with OnStar, giving drivers of LTE-connected vehicles an artificial intelligence tool to help with task reminders and recommendations of services based on location. ExxonMobil is part of the partnership as well, enabling drivers to find nearby gas stations and pay from within the car.
However, vehicle diagnostics is still the biggest part of telematics. Gartner estimates that by 2020, half of all motor vehicle manufacturers will apply advanced analytics to connected-vehicle data to identify and correct product defects.
Verizon’s total telematics revenues were $214 million in the first quarter of 2017, making telematics by far the largest contributor to the carrier’s internet of things revenue. In November Verizon closed on its $2.4 billion purchase of Fleetmatics. Shortly before that it completed its purchase of Telogis for an undisclosed sum said to be just shy of $1 billion.
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