How real-time technology is powering the next generation of digital experiences
Real-time technology is enabling instant interaction with a whole new breed of digital products and services, reducing interaction time to near zero.
Consumers can now enjoy the latest in live entertainment on-the-go and car buyers can research online whilst sitting in showrooms – Connected Consumer Products are changing the rules of the game and may be driving innovation across industries.
In the UK, be it TVs, video games, mobile phones, gadgets, hi-fi systems, electronics or home entertainment products, digital technology is making an impact and may be driving development. Here industry experts share their views on real time and its growing impact.
Why low-latency infrastructure is the foundation of modern digital life
With the UK government’s investment in 5G digital infrastructure, low-latency connectivity is no longer a luxury reserved for those willing to pay a premium. Sectors once considered peripheral to mainstream tech adoption are now leading innovation: UK live casinos, for instance, have become proving grounds for low-latency streaming and real-time data synchronisation at scale, demonstrating how demanding consumer expectations drive engineering progress. This is a pattern that is playing out in the EV charging market as well, where real-time data from vehicles, grid operators and charging networks must synchronise instantly in order to support technical innovation driven by evolving consumer requirements.
Smart charging requires millisecond level response. When a car owner turns up to charge at a public point, the network needs to authenticate, charge rate price and start session in near real time. Real time technology is a critical component of the EV infrastructure conversation.
Connected vehicles and the rise of AI digital experiences
Electric vehicles (EVs) in the modern era are not just modes of transport. They generate data that is processed in real time while in transit, by AI systems. Manufacturers, fleet managers and car insurers can all access this data on board, to deliver maintenance notices, increased range projections or route planning advice for EV drivers.
The UK digital strategy sees connected transport as one of the ways to meet its wider digital ambitions. The real-time technology impact is also felt at the roadside where intelligent smart signals and charging points will need to talk to passing vehicles.
Building a data-driven digital future for sustainable transport
A national data strategy may enable the sharing of real-time data to support the management of complex physical assets. This could be relevant to EV charging networks where real-time data on the grid and other factors could be used by operators to charge batteries more cheaply, avoid high tariffs during peak demand periods and ensure drivers have a car that is ready and fully charged when they need it.
As the UK heads towards meeting its net zero target, the ability to manage energy across thousands of concurrent charging sessions may be critical to ensuring public charge point infrastructure is fit for purpose.
Real-time capability as a competitive and infrastructural necessity
Real time technologies are in many cases rapidly becoming mandatory across multiple industries, from gaming and entertainment through to transport and energy. The growing EV sector may be dependent on low latency data integration, which enables real time payment processing, charge point management, vehicle to grid services and grid balancing. Those organisations that invest in real time ready digital platforms now, may be better positioned to meet the emerging challenges and opportunities presented by an accelerating shift towards electrification of transport.
