• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, September 10, 2014

The agency MRY released a study this week that analyzed topics that will affect the future of connected cars: changing attitudes toward car ownership, interest in car sharing services, and the impact of connectivity on the automotive purchase.

The study focused on 500 Millennials and 500 adults aged 35 and older, all with a valid driver's license. The results have implications for marketers, auto manufacturers, and technology firms looking to succeed in a connected world. The findings rely on first-party research and social listening from January 2012 through December 2013. 

Conversation about automotive connectivity rose 15% compared with the previous year, with the Millennial generation increasingly driving the considerations for a connected car. In fact, Millennials talk about connectivity nearly 2.5-times more than the average Twitter user. Most of the conversation, per the study, revolves around the car as a docking station. I believe it's because no matter how savvy the driver, the idea of a connected car remains too much in the future for some consumers and manufacturers, and lawmakers needing to consider safety.

The average percentage of conversations mentioning automotive connectivity among the leading original equipment manufacturers was only 3% of total conversations, per the study. Technology brands like Google and Apple, and car and ride sharing brands like Uber and Zipcar, score significantly higher than OEMs on being perceived as innovative and having a personal connection to the brand.

Nonetheless, connectivity has begun to impact purchase decisions, per the study, but automotive brands need to treat their cars like technology products, providing frequent tech support and software updates. The study doesn't talk about the connected cars' impact on iad targeting, especially when that connected car can send a text message to a consumer as it passes a billboard or store that aligns with the consumer's needs. The privacy and safety issues will all need to be worked out, but it doesn't mean the technology isn't available.