The continued trend for embedded mobile network access to become standard on ever more cars will see in-car connectivity hit the accelerator over the next seven years to reach 828.7 million, triple the 2022 total of 279.3 million, according to a study from Rethink Research.

As a result, said the company’s latest Wireless Watch research report and forecast on the connected car market, revenues derived from car connectivity will increase even more sharply and quadruple to $244bn by 2030, as 5G access becomes increasingly prevalent to deliver added-value services such as ultra HD streaming and more advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features.

The report defines car connectivity as internet access over a public cellular network via an embedded SIM in the vehicle, rather than just a user’s smartphone tethered to a satellite navigation system. It explored the evolution from 2023 to 2030 by region, drilling down into eight countries in the vanguard of car connectivity, or where the most rapid growth will occur.