MICHIGAN-headquartered GM has announced that it is equipping most of vehicles with 4G LTE connectivity by 2014, via a tie-up with AT&T.
The faster in-car technology, pegged to be 10 times faster than the current 3G systems, will be fitted into most of GM’s 2015 Chevy, Buick, Cadillac and GMC cars and trucks.
According to GM, the 4G can provide streaming video to the back seat, minus the DVD; and cars will have Wi-Fi hot spots that handle multiple devices, as well as navigation systems that are more sophisticated and have faster display speed.
Observers say that such embedded technology in cars can get outdated, and therefore could be a “risky” move (for a car maker) to implement.
Taking this cue, another car maker Ford Motor is hinging on a connectivity strategy with its Microsoft-developed Sync system, which works through a motorist’s smartphone and other devices; and will still work even if the driver changes to a new phone.
As for GM, the 4G system is “future-proofing your vehicle” , said Phil Abram, GM’s Chief Infotainment Officer who works with Glenn Lurie, AT&T’s President of Emerging Enterprises and Partnerships on the “connected car” innovation.
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