Last but not least, vehicles are increasingly becoming hyper-connected as part of the Internet of Things and the Internet of Vehicles, transforming them into a seamless interface between our connected lives at home and at work. The integration of screens and displays into almost any interior surface imaginable demonstrates the growing role that vehicles are playing as hubs for entertainment, communication and productivity.
All of these technologies must be connected together, resulting in increasing weight, diameter and cost of wire harnesses. Some modern vehicles contain nearly 40 different wire harnesses consisting of approximately 700 connectors and more than 3000 wires. If taken apart and spliced into a continuous straight line, the wires would be over 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long and weigh about 132 pounds (60 kilograms). In addition, there may be more than 70 special cables, such as coaxial cables, high-speed data cables, and USB cables. In older cars, that number is about 10.