AECC recently sat down with Danny Bedgood, Global Vice President of Industry Solutions at Aerospike, providers of a real-time data platform that enables organizations to act instantly across billions of transactions. We chatted about his thoughts on the connected car industry, Aerospike’s involvement with AECC and the future of the connected vehicle market. Here’s what he had to say.

AECC: What inspires you about the connected car industry?

DB: Good question! I’ve been in IT and data analytics for years, and I feel strongly that the evolution of the connected car represents a paradigm shift in the industry. It’s akin to the industrial revolution and the internet; it has the power to change how we do many things, not just how we drive. That’s what’s so interesting and inspiring about it.

AECC: Tell us about your involvement with AECC. Why did you want to join?

DB: I was an AECC member in a previous role, before working with Aerospike, so I had some experience with the group and the work they do. I have great respect for the efforts of the AECC and its leaders to drive standardization and the next wave of evolution in the connected vehicle space. It was important to me to align with the individuals and companies in AECC because this is a group that will help define those next steps, take a leadership role out front and lead the market. Right now, Aerospike is involved in the data management and data architecture side of things in the group, and we’re excited to be a part of the innovation the AECC is working toward.

AECC: What have you learned from collaborating with the AECC?

DB: I’ve learned that there are many different perspectives and lots of great input and collaboration from a range of companies, both those that are new to the space and those that have years of experience. Aerospike isn’t new to the architecture of connected cars in this ecosystem, but we’re new to this particular space and to working with some of the leaders in the space, like Toyota. I think we have the ability to bring in a new perspective, particularly when it comes to thinking about mass communication of data across all platforms, and we look forward to working with our AECC colleagues to further advance the connected car ecosystem.

AECC: Can you share what you have enjoyed most about being an AECC member?

DB: I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with all the smart minds in the group. The members all bring immense intelligence, experience and thought leadership to the table, and working with them has been a very positive experience. The collaboration process and the tools the group uses have also been great and have allowed us to work effectively as a team across geographies.

AECC: In your experience, what is the benefit of joining the AECC – particularly for “non-car” companies and industries?

DB: The connected car is the nucleus of a whole ecosystem, which includes smart cities, electrification, new technologies for propulsion in cars, new navigation tools, artificial intelligence and more. The work being done in those spaces is so interesting and plays a huge role in shaping how we do things moving forward. I’m a member of the “non-car” data-focused world, and it’s the companies in this realm that are leading tech trends, driving standards and helping companies adopt them and integrate them into what they are building, in this case cars. So, I think getting us “non-car” companies involved in the efforts of the AECC is incredibly important. They have a huge role to play in the group’s overall progress but also in the evolution of the connected car industry as a whole.

AECC: Our readers are interested in your views on the future of the connected vehicle market. Where do you see it going? How will it evolve?

DB: The evolution of this industry will be driven by the younger generation, and it will develop to fit their needs and lifestyle. There’s a change in thought process that is being driven by that generation and what they value, and that is what will set the pace for innovation and the new architectures that will be developed. For example, this group of consumers often relies on technology in a way that previous generations may not have, and that means they’ll want their phones to be connected to their cars and to have data utilized in a way that helps them better manage their lifestyles. Meeting the data and technology needs of the next generation will be hugely important as we move this market forward. Data and the organization of data is the future of the automotive world, and we are still learning how to best harness and make use of it. This will be a big part of the evolution and adaption of the automotive industry.

We invite you to learn more about becoming a member of the AECC. With collaboration among OEMs, MNOs, cloud, app, and service providers, the AECC can help accelerate the development of high-value digital services across the ecosystem. Get in touch to learn how you can help invent the future of the connected car and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay up to date.