Tesla Motors, AT&T team up for in-car Internet
Tesla Motors has picked AT&T as its in-car Internet service provider, the Washington Post reports. The deal puts AT&T in charge of the many functions on the Tesla Motors Model S electric car that are already controlled via wireless network.
A Tesla Model S drives outside the Tesla Motors factory in Fremont, Calif.
Paul Sakuma/AP/File
Tesla and AT&T are making a connection.
Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] picked AT&T as its in-car Internet service provider, the听谤别辫辞谤迟蝉.
The deal puts AT&T in charge of the many functions on the Model S electric聽聽that are already controlled via wireless network. It was formally announced at an event in San Francisco yesterday.
"We鈥檝e been working with AT&T. They鈥檝e been the service provider for Model S" in North America, Tesla spokeswoman Elizabeth Jarvis-Shaen told the聽Post.
罢别蝉濒补听聽are equipped with AT&T network chips, enabling Internet browsing, navigation, and entertainment functions on the 17-inch center-stack聽.听
The chips also provide two-way connections for services like roadside assistance and stolen-vehicle location, AT&T told the聽Post.
The Model S also receives聽聽to improve its various computer-controlled systems, and Tesla could potentially use this connection to gather vehicle data as well.
Prior to the expanded deal, AT&T provided a data connection for certain Tesla cars on its 3G and HSPA+ (what it calls 4G) networks.
So far, Tesla and AT&T have not expressed interest in offering a 4G LTE connection in future electric cars.
This would allow drivers to access a greater volume of data through their cars. While it won't help the distracted聽聽problem, in-car Internet access is becoming a popular option among tech-conscious customers, and a new source of revenue for car makers and data providers
聽in Europe on the S3 Sportback, and plans to expand the service to other models in its range.