Connected car. Photo: Via Satellite/Vincent Lim

[Via Satellite 01-12-2016] Car manufacturers such as Daimler (Mercedes-Benz), Volvo, Audi, Toyota, General Motors and others are beginning to invest in the connected car, which will likely call on satellite to transfer large amounts of data to and from the vehicle or provide Over-the-Air (OTA) software updates. While the satellite industry still grapples with its role in the connected car market, there’s no doubt that it is proving to be a profitable industry for the connected hardware and other services.

The market is buoyed by flourishing consumer interest as well as regulations such as one in Brussels that requires all cars to be equipped with eCall technology, which automatically calls emergency services in case of a serious accident, by 2018. Take a look below at the chart compiled by Statista’s Digital Market Outlook to see how the connected car is proving profitable today and how those revenues are likely to grow in the next five years.