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GM is launching 4G cars in 2014

By Tyler Falk | February 27, 2013, 4:01 AM PST

GM is about to take a major step toward more connected vehicles.

The company announced this week that most of its 2015 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac models will come with embedded 4G LTE mobile broadband. The service will be made available in the United States and Canada, through AT&T, in 2014.

For drivers this means a car that can serve as a WiFi hotspot and enhance in-vehicle communication and entertainment options (like streaming NetFlix in the back seat).

But the broadband services will also be key to improving connected car technology that promises to improve safety and convenience for drivers. Connected cars will be able to send data that the car collects from its surrounding environment to the cloud, and synthesized data from numerous cars on the road will give drivers real-time information about things like road conditions or traffic congestion.

“Through this built-in 4G LTE connection we have the opportunity to reinvent the mobile experience inside a vehicle,” said Mary Chan, a GM executive, in a press release.

The addition of 4G in cars will also provide an opportunity for developers. Last month, GM released a set of vehicle APIs to allow developers to build applications for GM’s 4G cars.

“Our commitment to 4G LTE strengthens our ability to collaboratively innovate with developer partners,” said Chan. “Developers will be able to take full advantage of 4G LTE speeds as they design vehicle-specific apps, and they can pursue development knowing that they’ll have a broad base of potential customers as connectivity is built-in across GM brands and regions.”

Photo: Flickr/Andrea_44

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About Tyler Falk

Tyler Falk is a contributing editor for SmartPlanet.

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Who pays?

Obviously, if the owner is using data, it will come out of their plan, but what about the traffic data the system sends to the network? If the owner opts out of any traffic plan, can their vehicle still contribute data?

I suppose not, but traffic data is only good if there are enough participants.

Posted by AlanLaRue

27th Feb

Just
In

Your privacy

If internet connected cars become popular in the future, your driving habit, where you go, how much fuel you use per month, your favour gas station & car pit, etc.. are no longer your own information.

Posted by crisman_hk

1st Mar

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+1 Vote

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Another feather

These modern features will add fun in driving but will have to wait and watch before we jump into conclusions. wink

Posted by peculiarblend

27th Feb

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4G service

I hope that GM has really taken the need for Identity Management on this service. Engineers want to have access to 'tweak' the system performance. This needs an assurance that a. the user is authorized and b. that the 'tweak' will not cause a safety issue - imagine making a modification to the brake profile when the car is doing 60 mph down the road!

Posted by rapieper

27th Feb

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+2 Votes

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Who pays?

Posted by AlanLaRue

27th Feb

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GM and 4G Service

I love technology but want to know if GM has considered all of the ramifications of this addition to their technology advancements? When it comes to safety of wireless exposure to these frequencies, the FCC and other governing agencies use the Specific Absorption Rate(SAR). The SAR test is a plastic head with a temperature probe in the top.

The SAR test left out the routers, collectors, antennas radiating large areas and the fact people are electrochemical as well as uninsulated. Electromagnetically inducing biology is to be avoided as it affects nervous, hormonal and immune systems. What about people with pacemakers told to stay out of an EMF, is GM giving up on those customers or including the liabilities? Here is a letter to the FCC and shows you the SAR and what was missed. http://www.thermoguy.com/pdfs/FCC_and_PUCs_on_Smart_Meters_and_Advanced_Wireless_Communications.pdf

Here is a letter by a Harvard MD on Wi-Fi health effects. http://www.thermoguy.com/pdfs/Harvard_MD_on_Wi-Fi_Health_Effects.pdf

The laws are changing on wireless exposure and GM needs to lead the way. Have their own unions negotiated for the adverse health effects? There are real reasons we wire devices, we aren't electrically compatible.

Posted by Thermoguy

27th Feb

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EMR/EMF exposure

Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive work that I have found that addresses the increasing amounts of EMR that we are all exposed to, but the decision to wire or not to wire a device is not made on that basis (perhaps that is a risk, but ...). Wiring may result in faster signal transmission, better data security, protection from other electromagnetic interference, and other technical reasons, but at this point, not due to health considerations. EMR is only one of the many unknowns that may affect us. Confined Animal production (hogs, beef, and chicken) may offer a health threat due to the concentrations of antibiotics in the manure that is later spread on fields. Ingestion of grains genetically modified to produce their own insecticide properties or resist the effects of certain herbicides may be a long term threat. Unfortunately, in none of those cases (and all have strong proponents and critics) do we have comprehensive, long term data to assess the threat. In all cases we are driven toward acceptance of the products because they offer some real or apparent benefits (if only novelty in the case of streaming Netflix), and profit for the firms producing them. Going ahead may not be the wisest course, but attempting to hold to a given level of technology when there are dynamic changes in population, land utilization, communication needs, etc. is not wise either unless an alternative(presumably non-technological) that achieves the same result is available.

Posted by GlennSL

27th Feb

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GM and 4G Not necessarily a safe combination

Obviously they are going to charge for this 4G service, will it replace Onstar which is very overpriced if you ask me. Also, what kind of security will they implement to protect our vehicles from online hackers? Imagine driving down the road, suddenly your vehicle stalls out and won't restart, another car pulls up, your locks open up and you are a sitting duck. All of this is possible with too much computer/internet integration. Just ask the folks at Onstar. They know where your vehicle is, they can remote unlock the doors for you, etc. If you have a smartphone you don't need your car to become a 4G hot spot.

Posted by bonnie@...

27th Feb

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The weak point will be AT&T

If AT&T treats the auto based plans around their current phone plans the price for a 4G LTE account will probably be north of $50 per month and will not be sharable with cell phone accounts. They will have a 2 GB limit for data use making them unusable for Netflix as you would exceed your plan limit in the first week of the billing cycle if you have kids in the back seat and a moderate commute. But, they will be willing to increase your data in 1 GB chunks for a fee. To make the car a WiFi hotspot will cost extra and the other services such as traffic reports will be billable services.

I like the idea of a more capable and integrated information system in an automobile. However, I don't know about you, but I do not have an extra hundred dollars per month to throw at data service for my car.

Posted by james.graham@...

27th Feb

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Free car!

They're smartphones, only they have wheels. Hail the iCar! The Samsung Sedan! The AndroidAuto! Bundle them in "free" with 2-year connectivity contracts. Premium version allows passengers to watch Major League Baseball. This idea has been hatching for a while: http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/intelligent-energy/how-to-get-a-free-car-chapter-2/8763. It's time will come. Connected cars are apparently making a splash at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona this week.

Posted by markhalper

27th Feb

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I Have a Better Question

Will this setup be able to send car data to outside agencies? OK, I'll be more specific. Can this setup contact the police or your auto insurance provider with things like your mileage and/or your speed? What happens if there is an accident? I know that most cars have black boxes but can something like activating ABS brakes or air bags cause data to be sent to these agencies? If you don't want to pay for this feature, can they still do these transmissions?

And again, who pays for this?

Posted by hforman@...

27th Feb

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Only if it's 'free'

I would only accept such a feature if it were completely free of fees of any sort, with the exception of a per-use cost for things like downloading a movie.

Unfortunately, more and more products are going to subscription-based models (which makes sense for consuming content like TV, internet, etc.), but no way would I be comfortable paying a monthly fee just for the privilege of owning my own car.

That's akin to the appliance rental racket (have you done the math on the rental charges vs. owning?).

Posted by ProfQuill

27th Feb

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Beyond 4G

All of this is great but who pays is the big question? I also would like to point out what happens as technology improves and goes beyond 4G? Is there any means of upgrades that are within the realm of the average user or will this become A RICH MANS TOY? I guess one would just trash your car because 5G, or what ever one wants to call it, comes out as the latest favor and 4G becomes an ancient dinosaur? Sounds like a great dream but seems to be an expensive toy to me!

Posted by geofer50

Updated - 28th Feb

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Your privacy

Posted by crisman_hk

1st Mar

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