GM already provides a number of diagnostic services through the On Star System. On Star already provides the functionality of a hands free cell phone as well as a variety of other telematic features. For example they offer turn by turn navigation as well as maintenance alerts and the automatic safety alerts like auto airbag alert.
Pretty much every new GM car comes with 6 months of the service free. That's the rub. Is it worth it? A Wi-Fi hot spot might make the system more saleable if they don't charge much for it.
I do wish that someone would start up an initiative to build a smart highway system. With data connections like On Star built in, it would be so much easier from the vehicle side.
Now that I have become an MPG nut, I can really see the advantage of knowing what traffic ahead is doing. For example, is a light about to turn red? How long will it be red? etc etc.
If the car knew what to expect, fuel usage could be managed much better.
I sure hope that there will be an off switch for this technology.
First, there are privacy concerns about being tracked by this stuff. Secondly, I don't want to leave my car in the airport parking lot for two weeks and come back with a dead battery due to some hotspot sucking down my battery....
I haven't checked for a while, but some of the proposed OBDIII stuff had plans to implement live reporting of data, and that really angers me. I do NOT want my car streaming data for the government, manufacturer, or anyone to be checking! What I've read about the new automotive "black box" is bad enough. Heck, my older car from the 90's has air bag controllers which can have their data read by specialized tools.
What's next, inward facing cameras to report on what we're doing while driving?
@Mydesign – You brought up a very valid point. At the initial stage of implementing the technology we might not feel the risk. But as technology evolves the risk of unauthorized access to the vehicle is a major concern. Very soon we will see anti-virus and firewalls for vehicles.
"I think this is a good way for manufacturers to keep track on their vehicles. They could use this connection to establish a link between their systems and the vehicle to have update information on mileage, service, faulty parts etc."
Shehan, like you mentioned there are different possibilities apart from making it's as a hot spot in vehicles. But when the entire system is opened through internet the security problems may raise. I mean whereabouts of the vehicle, altering the auto navigation system etc can be tracked by third paries.
"In the auto industry's biggest move yet towards connected cars, General Motors plans to install wireless 4G data modems on millions of its future vehicles, enabling them to serve as Internet hotspots."
Charles, what's the basic requirement for installing 4G data modems in moving vehicles. It's only to make it as a hotspot inside the vehicles or any other purposes. I mean remote control tracking , navigation etc through internet.
@Charles- I think this is a good way for manufacturers to keep track on their vehicles. They could use this connection to establish a link between their systems and the vehicle to have update information on mileage, service, faulty parts etc.
@Pubudu – As you said in most luxury cars the manufactures try to give more options to the passenger on the back seat, I'm sure you might have noticed this on most executive class vehicles.
@Pubudu – Portable hotspot is an option available on the market, but the specialty is Hotspot in the car itself. With my experience the connection speed of a moving hotspot is slow; I assume car manufacturers have looked into this problem too.
@Charles - Do you mean that this is only a boost of connectivity speed? It's useful for long journeys to spend some time browsing and may be checking mails too. This is definitely a good way for businessman who wishes to keep in touch while traveling.
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