Wi-Fi Coming to Your Car – Are You Interested?
I talk about flying all the time because, well, I fly just about all the time. But the fact is, far more people drive than fly, whether for work or vacation, and I also have a driving trip now and then each month. I also love techie stuff and everyone loves Wi-Fi. Combine all of them and you have the future of automobile travel.
In a report about a year ago, tech research firm ABI Research said that by 2018, in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems will be in more than 35 million cars, led by Apple. In a very recent article, the projected numbers are calling for 150 million Wi-Fi equipped vehicles by 2020.
While this news is exciting to anyone who drives, some of the gains will come in baby steps. In this reliability ranking last year from Consumer Reports, vehicle complaints about in-car electronics was very high. Indeed, higher than any of the other 16 categories.
Whatever about the past, progress come from failures so be on the lookout for these hi-tech cars coming your way soon, both in your own driveway and at car rental centers for travelers.
Yes and no. I think it’s great so I can connect my smartphone to the car’s wifi for GPS. However, I’ve always felt a road trip as a great way to connect with family and friends via the dying art of conversation. 😉
wi-fi in a car is very useful, at least to me. I currently have Audi Connect and have been able to do skype video/audio calls from my laptop, which makes it very convenient that I don’t have to be in the office or home office to do these. Just find a convenient spot to stop for a few minutes and then you are back on your way. In addition, being able to use wi-fi and not cellular data for your phone is great, too. I think it can only get better as the technology advances but people need to use it responsibly.
What is conversation, Joey? Just kidding, I know what you mean. When my husband and I are in the car together, I *try* to stay off of my phone so we can talk. But wi-fi apps for real mobile opens up so many possibilities beyond GPS. I suspect most will embrace it, not fear it with trepidation.