Automotive’s reduction in digital ad spend comes down to the massive, pandemic-driven slump in car sales in the US. According to automotive research firm Edmunds.com, auto sales in the US hit a 30-year low in April 2020, down 53% from the year prior.

According to data from Infosys published in October 2019, executives worldwide were looking to use 5G for connected cars, security, emergency services, healthcare and various other applications.

Rivian is using its digital safety features and connected car system to offer a personalized and competitively priced insurance program. For example, users can opt to use the Active Driving Assistance, which automatically steers and adjusts driver speed on the highway. This encourages safe driving, lowering the chances of expensive claim payouts.

Spotify has spent hundreds of millions in the past couple of years beefing up its podcast offerings, and it's also integrated into people’s listening habits and devices like in-car touchscreens and smartwatches. Unless Facebook wants to match those investments by buying up the rights to exclusive podcasts, it’s hard to imagine that it will ever hold its own against Spotify.

Amazon is driving especially hard into the automotive industry, embedding Alexa directly into car dashboards to integrate with various connected-car systems. It hopes this will eventually eliminate the need for drivers to use multiple voice assistants and/or tethered smartphones and reduce distracted driving.

Right now, there’s a heavy focus on smart homes and connected cars, but in the future, practically everything will have the ability to connect and communicate.

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation said the vehicle’s cruise control systems could be activated by accident, resulting in cars speeding up unexpectedly. Tesla says owners can upgrade their vehicles’ cruise control software remotely. How we got here: Tesla has seen its share of struggles in China, which it considers to be its biggest market for future growth.

As the pandemic ensued, audio listening in cars and at the workplace declined, while at-home listening increased. This led to a rise in audio usage on smart TVs, smart speakers, and gaming consoles. Pre-pandemic, about half of audio listening happened at home, but during May, that figure rose to 70%, according to market research company Edison Research.

More than half (55%) used a regular audio receiver including those in cars. But the balance of listening is almost evenly split across digital devices—12% each for laptop/desktop/tablet and smart speakers, 11% on TV via simulcasts, and 10% on mobile phones.

Some retailers are expanding their delivery options in other ways, such as offering to place parcels inside consumers’ homes or into connected cars. Of the retailers polled by FEVAD in 2019, only 5% already provided such services, but 9% had plans to do so in the near future.

During the pandemic, audio listening in cars and at work unsurprisingly declined while at-home listening increased. This led to increased listening on smart TVs, smart speakers, and gaming consoles. Pre-pandemic, about half of audio listening happened at home, but that figure rose to 70% in May, according to Edison Research.