The Big Data Challenges
CIS 500
Dr. Robert Joseph
10/27/2013

Today’s day and age you can find innovative technology that you wouldn’t have imagined a decade ago. New technology is everywhere, from Smart televisions, smart phones, even in the vehicles that we drive, technology has been upgraded and constructed into almost everything we utilize in a daily basis. The use and implementation of this new technology has allowed us as humans to take a step back, in a sense, and rely mostly on the information technology to do a lot of the work that we had done years ago.
Volvo is capturing massive amounts of data from their vehicles, stated by Rich Strader, Volvo’s CIO at the time. With all the data they collect there is a compelling opportunity to turn that resource into something that not only helps them build better cars, but will also help the customer have a better experience (Strader. R, 2011) In today’s market consumers are valuing smart tech at an all-time high, and are using technology more in their everyday activities. Volvo Group we are working to meet the demands posed by threats to our safety, health and the planet at large. (VolvoGroup) The integration of the cloud infrastructure in Volvo’s networks has open doors for them to not only be more competitive in the automobile market but also deliver ground breaking customer service to its Volvo owners. With hundreds of sensors and CPUs embedded throughout the car, from the brakes to the central locking system, data is now being captured for use within the vehicle itself, and then being transmitted via the cloud back to the manufacturer. (Strader,R, 2011) With the integration of the cloud, I feel that Volvo is optimizing its manufacturing process, as well as boosting its vehicles safety and customer relationship.
At Volvo, a Teradata system integrates product configuration, warranty, and vehicle diagnostic data to support technical and business analyses throughout the product lifecycle. The ready availability of current, quality-controlled data is transforming decision-making processes throughout the organization, with beneficial impacts on quality, warranty costs, customer satisfaction, and bottom line profitability. (Bertile, A, 2011) With all the data that Volvo is capturing, it allows them to turn that data into knowledge that can be used to give them a competitive edge on other automobile manufactures as well as pre warn them of an issue that may occur. The cloud infrastructure gives Volvo the ability to draw insight from this multi-terabyte resource which allows manufacturers the opportunity to eliminate problems before the product is massed produced, saving them unnecessary expenses and wasted time. By splicing that data together, we are pre-warned about potential issues such as mechanical problems that may have shown up later in the field. (Strader. R, 2011)
Volvo’s Big Data System model allows them to obtain the needed information real-time via their web-based information technology and have the ability to be proactive and respond to issues immediately, instead of being reactive and having to address an issue after it has already occurred and caused a more complex problem. This real time information means flexibility and efficiency for Volvo as well as opening up doors of new technological concepts.