New analysis of Intelligent Transport Systems and Services (ITSS) has found that the market will be worth €2.9bn (£2.5bn) to European providers of communications services by 2020.

Ofcom-licensed innovITS, the UK’s ITSS Centre of Excellence for Transport Telematics and Technology, aggregated the European telematics and communications percentages of a total global marketplace worth $65bn by 2020, forecast by a Frost & Sullivan report. The company says the figures provide an added incentive to manufacturers such as Audi BMW and Ford, which are placing increased focus on the ‘Connected Car’ and associated services.

Audi’s Mobile Media Interface (MMI) will soon be available on select Audi A8 vehicles; BMW has unveiled a concept Mobile Application Store, allowing drivers to download to mobiles on the move; and Ford has launched its own Mobile App Developer Network to support applications which integrate with its SYNC in-car computing system.

“These projects demonstrate the growing convergence between in-car and mobile technologies, whilst our market valuation supports the investment being made to connect vehicles, highways and telecommunications,” says innovITS Roger Wilson. “Accelerated growth in the sector means providers are seeking cost effective and fast routes to market.”

But innovITS warns about a lack of testing in scaled and connected environments, such as the ADVANCE ‘city scape’ test track, which hosts private GSM and wi-fi networks, licensed by Ofcom. ‘Plug and play’ simplicity at the ADVANCE test centre enables repeat and continuation testing without expensive setup costs or time consuming field trials, the company says.

“ADVANCE is unique, and vital to organisations who want to reduce development costs and speed up time to market,” says Wilson. “Our private GSM network gives users the control to enhance or degrade GSM signal at any point on the track, and a private wi-fi network offers connectivity between test vehicles and infrastructure.”