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Connected car technology brings together phone features, manufacturer services, internet links and—in some vehicles and road systems—vehicle-to-everything communications. It can make navigation, remote controls, warnings and software updates available in new ways, but these are distinct systems with different requirements. A connected car is not necessarily a self-driving car.
What does connected car technology do?
It connects a vehicle with one or more of three things: a driver’s phone, the automaker’s services and cloud systems, or other vehicles and roadside equipment. The result may be something as familiar as displaying phone navigation on the dashboard, or as specialized as a vehicle receiving a warning from connected road infrastructure.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) uses “connected-vehicle technologies” for equipment, applications or systems that use vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications for roadway safety, efficiency or mobility. In consumer use, the broader phrase “connected car” also covers infotainment, manufacturer apps, remote controls, diagnostics and wireless updates.
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| Layer | What it connects | What it can do | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone integration and infotainment | The vehicle display and a compatible smartphone | Show navigation, calls, messages, voice control and audio through a phone interface | Supported phone and operating system, vehicle compatibility, and whether the function uses the phone’s data plan |
| Automaker telematics and app services | The vehicle, automaker systems and a phone app | Depending on the vehicle and service, enable remote controls, vehicle location or status, diagnostics, maintenance alerts, roadside assistance or collision notifications | Model and trim eligibility, enrollment, service terms, cellular and GPS availability, and any paid plan |
| Wireless software and cloud services | The vehicle and automaker or service-provider systems over a wireless connection | Deliver online services and, for supported changes, software updates | Which updates can be delivered remotely and which require an in-person visit |
| V2X communications | Compatible vehicles, roadside infrastructure and, where supported, other road users | Exchange information such as warnings about hazards or work zones, or support infrastructure coordination | Compatible, interoperable equipment and suitable coverage or infrastructure in the area |
These layers can coexist in one vehicle, but one does not imply the others. For example, phone navigation on a dashboard does not mean the car communicates with traffic signals.
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What changes in everyday driving?
Phone-based navigation and entertainment
Phone projection can put familiar navigation, calls, messages and audio on the vehicle display, with voice controls that may help a driver keep their hands on the wheel. Automakers describe features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while connected-service plans may separately offer online navigation, connected voice functions, hotspot service or premium radio. Availability depends on the specific vehicle and market; a feature shown for one model is not a guarantee for another.
Remote access and vehicle status
An automaker’s app may let an enrolled owner start or unlock a vehicle remotely, locate it, check its status or view diagnostic and maintenance information. Some services also offer roadside assistance or automatic collision notifications. These capabilities are automaker- and vehicle-specific, and may rely on an active service, a supported phone app, cellular coverage or GPS.
Wireless updates and services
A wireless connection can support cloud services and software updates. In a 2025 speech, NHTSA noted that more recalls were being remedied through over-the-air software updates. That describes a growing remedy option, not a promise that every recall or repair can be completed remotely; some work still requires a service visit.
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What is V2X, and what can it add?
V2X is an umbrella term for communications among vehicles, infrastructure and other road users. Its common forms include vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-pedestrian or road-user (V2P). USDOT describes short-range exchanges of approximately 300 meters in its explainer. A compatible system may use information from beyond a driver’s direct line of sight—for example, to warn of a hazard obscured by another vehicle.
Unlike a feature that depends on a phone app reaching a cloud service, USDOT describes V2X as capable of low-latency, non-networked communication. That does not make it universally available: vehicles and infrastructure need compatible, interoperable equipment for information to be exchanged and useful. In a 2024 report to Congress, NHTSA described closed-course tests in which LTE-V2X and DSRC performed similarly under nominal conditions, while noting that edge-case interference needed further investigation. Those test conditions should not be read as a guarantee of performance in every road environment.
What pilot evaluations have shown
USDOT’s deployment evaluations report results from particular projects, not universal outcomes. In a Tampa pilot, a V2X forward-collision-warning system showed a 9% decrease in normalized forward-collision conflicts per vehicle over time. The evaluation notes that a longer crash evaluation may be needed because crashes are rare events; a change in conflicts is not the same as a measured crash reduction.
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Other USDOT examples include fewer hard-braking events in an Indiana work-zone project and outcomes from school-bus signal-priority projects. Those findings apply to the evaluated deployments and should not be treated as a promise that a V2X feature will produce the same result elsewhere.
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Some connected systems can provide useful information, but “connected” is not another word for “autonomous.” A phone interface, remote-start app or V2X warning does not take over the driving task. NHTSA says even Level 2 driver-assistance features require the driver to remain engaged and attentive.
There is measured evidence for particular driver-assistance functions, but it does not establish that connectivity itself caused the effects. NHTSA’s PARTS summary of its second real-world ADAS study, released in January 2025, reported a 49% reduction in front-to-rear crashes associated with automatic emergency braking (AEB) across model years 2015–2023 in the studied fleet and analysis. The summary also reported 46% for model years 2015–2017 and 52% for model years 2021–2023. A separate PARTS finding reported a 9% decrease in single-vehicle frontal crashes with non-motorists for vehicles equipped with pedestrian AEB. These are defined study outcomes for specific driver-assistance systems, not estimates for connected cars as a whole.
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Connectivity may also matter after a collision if a system sends an automatic notification. In a 2025 speech about post-crash response and telematics-based notifications, NHTSA said 43% of people killed in crashes between 2019 and 2023 were initially alive when emergency medical services arrived. That figure provides context for the importance of response time; it does not show that a particular connected service improves survival.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What privacy and security questions should owners consider?
Data collection and sharing
Connected features may use vehicle location, vehicle health, driving information and account data. Practices differ by automaker and service. Toyota’s connected-services privacy notice, for example, says its services may collect location, health and driving data to support functions such as navigation assistance, emergency services, remote start, maintenance alerts and infotainment. The notice also discusses data transfers associated with device mirroring and possible sharing with service providers. This is a Toyota-specific example, not a description of every manufacturer’s practices.
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- Review the vehicle’s and app’s privacy settings, including settings related to location and device mirroring.
- Check what happens to account access and stored data when the vehicle changes hands or a service ends.
Cybersecurity and system protection
Connected vehicles depend on electronics, sensors and computer systems, so cybersecurity is part of protecting both data and vehicle functions. NHTSA advocates a layered approach that prioritizes safety-critical control systems, detects and responds to incidents, builds resilience and recovery, and shares threat information across the industry. Owners can ask the automaker how it handles software updates and security issues, but those protections are the manufacturer’s responsibility to design and maintain.
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How to compare connected-car features before buying
- Start with the exact vehicle. Check the model year, trim and region, rather than assuming a feature listed for another version is included.
- Separate included functions from services. Identify what works through phone integration, what needs automaker enrollment, and what is offered as a trial or paid connected plan. Review current terms before assigning a value to a service.
- Confirm compatibility and coverage. Check phone and operating-system support, cellular and GPS dependencies, and whether the service is available where the vehicle will be used.
- Ask what each feature actually does. Distinguish entertainment and navigation from remote control, diagnostics, driver warnings, updates and V2X communication. They solve different problems.
- Review data and support terms. Read the privacy notice and settings, then ask how software updates, service interruptions and security incidents are handled.
- For V2X, check the surrounding system. A vehicle feature alone cannot guarantee an exchange with another car or roadside equipment; compatibility and interoperability matter.
Automaker feature pages illustrate why this check matters: Nissan describes phone integration and connected services, while Hyundai lists services and conditions that can include remote controls, diagnostics, updates and Digital Key. Volkswagen describes connected plans that can include online navigation, connected voice functions, hotspot service and premium radio. These are examples from individual brands, not evidence that every vehicle includes those features or offers them in every region.
What connected-car technology does not guarantee
- It does not mean every function works without cellular or GPS coverage, enrollment or a compatible phone.
- It does not mean the car can communicate with every other vehicle, road system or pedestrian device.
- It does not mean all recalls can be fixed through a wireless update.
- It does not mean the driver can stop paying attention or hand over responsibility for driving.
USDOT’s national V2X plan announcement reflects the technology’s policy ambitions. Then-Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said, “The Department recognizes the potential safety benefits of V2X, and this plan will move us closer to nationwide adoption of this technology.” The statement describes the department’s goal, not a finding that nationwide adoption or a particular safety outcome has already been achieved.
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