Internet-Connected, 'Smart' Cars to Become Ubiquitous Car Industry Execs Believe

In a world where even your watch can connect to the internet and where more and more people carry a fully capable computer in their pockets, having the same things in their car still sounds like Sci-Fi.

Of course, the car industry is not exactly one of the fastest moving industries out there and the product cycle, which can take anywhere from five to ten years, doesn't help.

But that is changing, according to a study conducted by KPMG. It interviewed some 200 top execs in the car industry and the overwhelming consensus was that internet connectivity and 'smart' cars were a reality, new models would come packed with this type of features.

In fact, 37 percent of those interviewed believed that 'infotainment' in cars was almost as important as car safety; hopefully, that's for consumers and not the car makers.

The connections will most likely have to be 3G or another mobile internet standard, since that's the only feasible way to add internet connectivity to a moving vehicle.

But the car industry is moving into the new space fast, 63 percent of those surveyed expect car makers and IT companies to start working together more often.

There have already been several examples of this, but it's been mostly relegated to high-end cars. For example, the latest Audi A8 comes with 3G connectivity and Google Earth built in.

"Global car executives believe that as consumers become accustomed to instant access at home and in the office, customers will expect the same services when on the move in their vehicles. In the future, connectivity will not simply be a 'nice to have' feature but an intrinsic part of a vehicle," KPMG's John Leech wrote in the report.

The interesting part will be to see which companies will benefit the most from this new market. Microsoft has been courting car makers for ages and already has a software platform for cars, used by Ford SYNC for example.