Here's a video article discussing Chrysler's plan to allow customers to install wifi routers in their cars:
http://www.pcworld.com/video/id,838-page,1-bid,0/video.html
They're special routers made by AutoNet (I guess, that's the logo I saw). They connect to existing cell networks for $35 to $40 USD a month. According to the article the routers have WEP, WPA, and WPA2 encryption, so hopefully that family of four in the Volvo next to you won't siphon off your Internet when they're downloading Dora The Explorer episodes.
Now, is wifi access in the car a good idea? Personally, I like that there are places where you are forced to disconnect. And if people start browsing the web on their laptop while driving, that's even worse than the current craze of texting while driving.
Still, imagine war-driving the highway, slowing down every time you see a Dodge, Chrysler, or Jeep!
This is very cool and an interesting idea. There's a few flaws I can spot with with it though:
- Existing cell networks - I'm not sure if they really mean cellular phone networks but if it's connecting to Telus' cell network with the same speed of their EVDO connection... Ugh. It'll probably be faster, but I always like to jab at Telus' EVDO.
- Browsing the web on their laptop while driving - Let's face it, it's likely most drivers won't be responsibe enough to resist the tempation while driving. They're going to run out of Darwin Awards!
- Malicious attacks and wardriving - People who aren't savvy could be driving down the highway and not even realize they're being war-driven and someone is horking their bandwidth. I also hope the wireless controller isn't hooked into any vital systems or important electronics of the vehicle.
This is really simple to do but not cheap in Canada. Telus has EVDO PC cards and Rogers has HSPA cards, you simply purchase a low end enterprise wifi router with a PC card expansion slot and you are about done. You should be able to get between 1Mbit to 7Mbits per second at a cost of about $100 CAD / Mo.
Are there monthly data limits on the Telus and Rogers PC cards?
Also, I found this interesting not because it can be done, but because it is now being mass-marketed. As a comparison, geeks put hard drives in their cars long before the general populace started doing it. I remember looking at car-based hard drive instructions in 1999. Not until a manufacturer started offering them in their built-in GPS and entertainment packages was there an large surge in car-based hard drives, though.
Yes there are limits, Canadian wireless providers don't like offering unlimited plans like the US ones do.
Quote from: Lazybones on August 26, 2008, 10:45:34 AM
Yes there are limits, Canadian wireless providers don't like offering unlimited plans like the US ones do.
I think even in the States unlimited is actually "unlimited".
Quote from: Mr. Analog on August 26, 2008, 11:38:29 AM
Quote from: Lazybones on August 26, 2008, 10:45:34 AM
Yes there are limits, Canadian wireless providers don't like offering unlimited plans like the US ones do.
I think even in the States unlimited is actually "unlimited".
Pretty much, last I heard at Verizon will just cancel your plan if you start going over 5G or something.