WiFi in the car is coming, with the early announcement of in-car 3G routers before the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show.
According to some figures, Americans already order 40% of SUVs and station wagons with a DVD player. Now, they'll have the option of WiFi in the car.
US company Autonet Mobile is about to launch a router and service that transforms any car with a cigarette lighter into a WiFi access point.
It will offer a 3G-based wireless broadband service in conjunction with Virgin Mobile USA by the end of March.
According to
Gizmag, on top of the US$49 wireless broadband service fee, the Autonet 'Mobile In-Car-Router' will fetch US$400.
Casual users might balk at the pricing, but it will be a boon for rent-a-car companies. Avis plans to offer the service for $US10.95 a day in its cars -- cheaper than hotel broadband, but with an obvious profit margin for the hire company.
As with most other routers, it can also plug into the standard wall power socket, so you don't need to park your car in the hotel lobby for access in your room.
In terms of reach, the service will provide a continuous connection between devices in the car, and the internet, regardless of whether you're tunnelling through cities or driving above bridges.
The service "covers over 95% of the United States", as you can see from the Republican-coloured map, below.
 Autonet coverage map: Of all these cooperative lumps of land, we are as yet unable to locate those of Australian origin. |
According to Dave Whetstone, the co-founder of Virgin Mobile USA, "The Autonet service will help to fill consumers’ insatiable need to stay connected, even while on the road."
Whether this actually takes off is another bucket of worms, although it reckons this won't be a problem saying that "40 percent of all SUVs and station wagons come equipped with media centers."
No Australian carriers have commented yet on whether they plan to offer a similar thing, but Telstra's "I've been everywhere man" wireless broadband campaign and nationwide Next G HSDPA coverage certainly make it look likely.