Is your car connected to the Internet? In 2013, approximately 23 million vehicles around the world had embedded Internet access, offering their drivers a multitude of smart options and benefits.

These include better engine controls, automatic crash notifications and safety alerts, to name just a few. Owners can also interact with their connected vehicles through apps from any distance.

Connected cars are going to become increasingly common on our roads. IHS Automotive (ihs.com) estimates that by 2020, the market will grow sixfold to 152 million vehicles. Gartner is even more optimistic, predicting that a quarter of a billion cars on our roads will be connected by 2020. The market for smart vehicles is certainly set for takeoff and many analysts predict they could revolutionize the world of automobiles in much the same way smartphones have changed the face of telecommunications.