This week’s SmartCar roundup features the expected growth of the connected car industry, a new partnership to keep cars connected to the internet, and UK’s plan of connecting an entire highway to the internet.

Connected Car market expected to reach $131.9B in 2019

In a report published by the Transparency Market Research, it was projected that the connected car market is expected to reach $131.9 billion by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 34.7 percent from 2013 to 2019, with 4G/LTE leading the way.

The growth of the connected car market is driven primarily by factors such as safety and security gaming, with interest in entertainment, traffic information, and weather and location information supporting its growth.  So far, North America is the biggest consumer of connected cars, holding more than 50 percent share of the entire connected cars market in 2012, but analysts believe that Asia Pacific will be the fastest growing region in coming years, fueled by the increasing demand from China, India, and Australia.

For more information on this report, check out the “Connected Car Market -Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013- 2019″ report here.

AT&T and Tesla enter new connected partnership

AT GigaOM Mobilize 2013, Chris Penrose, AT&T senior vice president of emerging technologies, announced that the company has struck a deal with Tesla Motors which would make its service available in the latter’s advanced electric connected cars.

AT&T will power Tesla’s two-way vehicle communications, remote engine diagnostics, and infotainment features.

“We believe that our ability to bring total solutions into the space is something that is being demanded, and something that we can excel and differentiate. Not just being a connectivity partner,” Penrose said.

Tesla cars will be equipped with modems and a SIM that will allow the vehicle to connect to cell towers so it can take advantage of several maintenance, entertainment and safety features.  The same technology can also be used to retrieve stolen cars, get real-time information on the car’s system and get notified when it’s time to bring it in for a service check-up.  Internet access will also allow drivers or passengers to  access live weather and traffic, navigation and even internet search for drivers and passengers.

UK to connect entire highway to the Internet

The United Kingdom revealed its plan for turning A14, the busy road connecting Birmingham and Felixstowe, into a super highway by connecting it to the internet.  The project is a collaboration between BT, the Department for Transport and the Cambridge start-up Neul.  They will be placing a network of sensors along the 50-mile stretch of the A14 to monitor traffic by sending signals to and from mobile phones in moving vehicles.

“Sensors in cars and on the roads monitor the build-up of congestions and wirelessly send this information to a central traffic control system, which automatically imposes variable speed limits that smooth the flow of traffic,” Ofcom, the telecoms watchdog, said. “This system could also communicate directly with cars, directing them along diverted routes to avoid the congestion and even managing their speed.”