Wi-fi reaching speeds of up to 1Gb/s could be hitting production cars in the near future, theregister.co.uk reports.
A new chip has been created by Broadcom which supports wi-fi on the 802.11ac band, as well as Bluetooth LE. It is this capability which has led Broadcom to excitedly label their offering as being ‘5G’.
It is thought that this new chip would find greatest use in connected cars of the future, as it enables motorists to connect their smartphone for hands-free calls, whilst also streaming entertainment for passengers, powering sat-nav devices and providing traffic updates.
Broadcom even went one step further to claim their chip could also work with wearable tech peripherals, such as Google glass and biometric systems which offer a warning when the driver becomes too tired or their heart rate rises to potentially dangerous levels.
With all cars being manufactured from 2015 onwards being required to provide such connectivity, the new wi-fi chip could have a large market and bring wi-fi to a larger, more mobile audience.
Commenting on the new innovation, Broadcom’s vice president of wireless connectivity, Rahul Patel, told venturebeat.com: “Car connectivity is the new battleground for product differentiation and the next frontier for Broadcom.
“Broadcom is delivering our proven expertise and leadership in wireless connectivity to the automotive market. By providing the same technology and roadman associated with the fast-moving mobile ecosystem, the possibilities enabled by our new wireless automotive chips are endless.”
