Would it make sense for the auto manufacturers to work with wireless carriers to develop a way to share the driver's cell phone data connection to access the internet? That has several advantages, including:
- hedging against obsolescence: consumers will refresh/upgrade their cell phone (and thus the data connection, i.e. 3G, 4G, etc.) more often than their vehicle.
- keep subscription costs lower so consumers do not have to have a separate data connection for the car, thus freeing up cash for hardware upgrades or app purchases.
Also helpful would be if auto manufacturers could figure out a way to basically extend the screen of the mobile device, so that users would not have to learn a new operating system; they would just be using the one they already have.
It seems like that type of technology integration would be more helpful that some of the ones I've seen. A good example is in several new Ford vehicles - a USB port that takes a mobile broadband USB adapter and makes it into a Wifi hotspot. If you have a USB adapter and care to share it via wifi, you likely either A) already ditched the USB adapter and got a MiFi, or B) already purchased a USB-Wifi mobile router that you could use in any car.
Verizon Wireless is making a point that its 4G LTE network is more for just smartphones and MiFi hotspots. The carrier is showcasing several new products focused on making automobiles more connected.
Internet connectivity in cars is just on the tipping point of becoming a regular feature in newer cars. Just look at Ford’s Sync with MyFord Touch interface and Toyota’s recent partnership with Microsoft on its new Telematics platform.
So the stage is set for the carriers themselves to get more involved here. In partnership with a handful of various other companies, Verizon will be showcasing its collaborative efforts at the Telematics 2011 Conference in Detroit this week. The goal of the projects is to combine 4G LTE connectivity with Telematics technology to make vehicles “more connected than ever before.”
That goes for in-car features such as hands-free connections, GPS systems and roadside assistance. For example, Airbiquity is teaming up with Verizon to integrate its own in-vehicle mobile apps with Verizon’s V Cast apps and interface for regular weather updates and streaming radio.
Verizon is working more on bringing cloud computing access to vehicles with TeleCommunication Systems with customized apps for navigation, location-based searches and even some social networking features.
Related coverage on ZDNet:
- AT&T 4G network won’t catch up with Verizon for at least two years
- Verizon suffers from date related LTE WiFi hotspot bug
- For AT&T-T-Mobile merger, fairness to Sprint is in the details
- Verizon targets customers running mobile tethering apps
- Polycom, bevy of carriers target telepresence interoperability
