Autonomous Vehicles Do Not Absolutely Require IoT; Traffic Management Does

source: McKInsey

At least in lower volumes, self-driving cars do not absolutely require that robust networks operating at a level above the individual vehicle’s sensors be in place.

Uber’s limited launch of autonomous car service in Pittsburgh shows that.  

Even when autonomous vehicles are much more common, it might be true that telemetry will operate at the vehicle level.

Internet of Things networks and edge computing will probably operate at a more systemic level. For example, it has been estimated that 40 percent of urban vehicle congestion is caused by people looking for parking.

IoT-based systems are perhaps more likely to be used for such broader traffic management functions than individual vehicle safety.  

source: Business Insider