Will Future Auto Technology be Open or Closed?

24 April, 2017 | Della Wyler | Careers in IT, IT Security
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An Open Car System: What Is It?

Because this topic is recent, there is a need to differentiate between the closed and open car systems. An open car means that your vehicle is now equipped with an information technology system that allows car companies to constantly make upgrades, check your system for security breaches or bugs and widens the ability of a company to provide after service. Despite this opening up you car’s platforms to developers, this does not mean that your data is vulnerable.

Technological Advances Will Open New Doors for Tech Careers in Security

Experts argue that the open car system actually allows developers to protect the data on your cars more because of clearly laid out and implemented data privacy and security. This will also come with heightened data accountability, which is what most drivers want to hear after the controversial scandals regarding the OEM hacks.  Just think of all the tech careers in security that will become available to protect your data!

Comparison: A Closed Car System

Before going into the details of the benefits of open technology, it should be compared to how a closed system works. As you can imagine, it has its own systems in place, but they are not as far reaching as an open system. In fact, most of the systems in your car become obsolete after a few years and seldom can they upgrade each time a new model comes out. Once you buy your car, whatever system is in place – like the GPS – is what you will be using for the whole duration that you own your car.

Clearly, there are still merits to a closed car system. That’s why some car experts argue that the future of cars still lies in a closed car system. In this system, the vehicle is locked down with the company that manufactured it. Knowing the leading car manufacturers, they are trusted, well-funded and also well-researched. Allowing them to have full control over the cars that they produce and offer to market, when they make upgrades and to what extent those upgrades are made gives them sole accountability on the matter. What that means for drivers is that your car will most likely be just a car, which is an OEM’s expertise, rather than a fully functional computer within a car.

What a closed car system cannot give drivers, though, is complete freedom when it comes to updating the system of their cars. Because that’s where the trend is going now – users have the power to add in features and upgrades they want, the future of cars will most likely be headed that direction as well.

Sources:

https://study.com/academy/lesson/closed-open-systems-definition-examples.html