The mobile Internet makes its way into cars

Dan Carney • E-mail

Just as radios evolved from hulking home consoles into expected accessories in virtually all cars, so may Wi-Fi Internet access break free to become a commonplace automotive feature. That’s the hope of Autonet Mobile, a company that supplies in-car Wi-Fi routers that let passengers use laptops and other mobile devices in their vehicles.

By 2016, consumers will consider such Internet connectivity as important as traditional features such as safety and fuel economy, said Thilo Koslowski, vice president of the Automotive Manufacturing Industry Advisory Service at market researcher Gartner, Inc.

Autonet Mobile sells its $499 routers through Chrysler and Cadillac dealers as manufacturer-endorsed, dealer-installed options for those cars, branded as Uconnect Web and Cadillac Wi-Fi, respectively. Its routers can also be added to any car after a vehicle is purchased.

Potential customers were skeptical of Wi-Fi in vehicles, but have recently become more in favor of the idea, according to Autonet Mobile CEO Sterling Pratz. With the stamp of approval from car makers, Autonet Mobile’s sales have grown 50 percent every month since November, he said.

However, even with that kind of growth, Pratz would characterize the company’s customer base as numbering “in the thousands.” He said 90 percent of consumers surveyed in a company poll said they would rather have Internet access in their cars than have DVD video players.

In addition to buying the router, a 20-minute installation to place it in the trunk of a vehicle should cost another $35-$50 depending on the shop, Autonet Mobile says. The monthly 3G data service costs $29, with a $35 activation fee. More than half of consumers say they would like Internet access in their cars, compared to only 16 percent who thought it was a good idea a few years ago, Pratz said.

Hands on the wheel
If Web surfing from behind the wheel sounds like a bad idea, that is because it is a bad idea. But drivers can benefit from Wi-Fi access as a way of receiving Internet radio, which can be streamed to the car through devices such as Apple’s iPod touch, Pratz said.

Drivers can also use Internet-based MapQuest to route them to their destinations, and business users can access the Web to do chores like sending sales orders after visiting customers.

But the real plus of having a Wi-Fi router in the car is for passengers who can access the Internet to watch YouTube videos, connect to social networks, instant-message friends and play games using any Wi-Fi-enabled device. Netbooks and the iPod touch are some of the most popular mobile devices Autonet Mobile customers are using, but the Sony PSP and Nintendo GameBoy portable game systems and even the Nintendo Wii game console are popular devices, he said.

Uconnect Web "has been well received at the dealerships,” said Jennifer Applebee, senior manager connectivity and infotainment strategy for Chrysler LLC. “We’re finding a lot of people are enjoying having it, especially people with kids.”

Chrysler’s experience so far has been sufficiently successful that the company is examining the potential benefits of factory-installing the router rather than having it done at the dealer, she said. The company is also eyeing a push for the technology for its Ram pickup for customers who could use Wi-Fi to work from job sites, she added.

Cadillac, meanwhile, is just now rolling out the service through its dealers, said John Howell, global product director for Cadillac.

“Too early for us to judge" its success, he said. “It has the potential to be a big thing going forward. It could be really ubiquitous, but it depends on what the evolution of portable devices is.”

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