A new study has predicted that the number of vehicles providing Wi-Fi hotspots are to rise over the coming years, with some car companies eager to provide Wi-Fi based entertainment services.
According to telecomengine.com, ABI Research predicts that most major original equipment manufacturers will start offering LTE based Wi-Fi hotspots in their vehicles, following in the footsteps of several of the luxury brands that have already started to do so.
In particular, car companies will focus on providing Wi-Fi connected screens, which would replace the expensive DVD players built in some of the more luxury vehicles. The screens would make use of the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard, which is faster than the previous standard. This would enable users to play games online or connect to their favourite social media sites on the new Wi-Fi screens.
By 2019, Wi-Fi is expected to be implemented into 60 per cent of all ‘infotainment’ systems in cars, ABI Research estimates.
Gareth Owen, principal analyst at ABI Research, said such services will have to be carefully executed, or companies could face putting off car owners.
“Although some early adopters and premium customers might be willing to pay an extra $15 to $30 per month for the convenience of built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, most drivers will not be willing to pay for an automotive wireless plan on top of home broadband and mobile phone subscriptions,” he explained.
Mr Owen added that original equipment manufacturers will need to work closely with mobile operators to create satisfying alternatives, such as a shared data plan, if the in-car Wi-Fi market is to survive, reports webpronews.com.
