2.4% of all mobile phone connections in Europe are machines, not people, according to analyst company Berg Insight. That figure is even higher in the USA, where 4.3% of connections are machine-to-machine, and means a total of 1.4% of mobile connections worldwide are M2M.
In the next five years, the total number of wireless M2M connections is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 25.6% to reach 187.1 million connections – giving machines 3.1% of the world's mobile connections in 2014.
Berg Insight expects regulation of vehicle telematics to make a major difference; alongside the EU's planned eCall system is the possible implementation of Brazil's in-car tracking 'resolution 245' and the Dutch government’s plan to introduce a nationwide electronic road charging system.