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Here Are The Five Important And Interesting Aspects Of GM’s Plan To Integrate 4G LTE Into Its Vehicles

As the hype following General Motors’ announcement of the largest deployment of 4G LTE in the automotive industry to date settles, we’re here to provide some much-needed context.

1. It’s Not An Afterthought

For starters, it’s important to emphasize the nature of the 4G LTE system’s integration: it’s not afterthought or some kind of an aftermarket add-on, as is offered on certain GM vehicles today in 3G form. Instead, GM’s implementation will integrate the 4G LTE technology into the vehicle’s electrical system, complete with an external antenna for maximum coverage and connectivity. And since the 4G structure is built into the car, customers won’t need to use their smartphone’s connection as a modem to use connected services (we’re looking at you, Ford/SYNC Services).

2. AT&T Replaces Verizon

GM’s current line of North American vehicles utilize the CDMA wireless communications protocol. So in the United States, Verizon is OnStar’s cellular carrier of choice, as is Bell Mobility in Canada, China Telecom in China, and Telefonica in Mexico. As such, General Motors seems to be completely replacing its partnership with Verizon with that of AT&T, even though Verizon is switching to LTE technology for its 4G rollout as well.

3. A Myriad Of New Possibilities: Safety, Navigation & More

Since vehicles offerred with wireless connectivity today — whether it be 3G or 4G — aren’t truly integrated into the automobile, they don’t really provide the full benefits of an integrated wireless service. But given that GM is fully integrating 4G into the car, the vehicle becomes a (albeit one that weighs several thousand pounds) wireless device in and of itself — thereby creating a vast array of possibilities. For instance, imagine the car communicating with other vehicles (V2V), or with the infrastructure (V2I), or providing real time services such as traffic, navigation, or point-of-interest information.

Speaking of navigation, 4G is fast enough, and promises to be pervasive enough, to do away with SD- and DVD-based navigation systems entirely.

GM believes that wide-spread applications of in-vehicle 4G LTE connectivity “will enable vehicles to interact directly with their environment to enhance safety, efficiency and convenience for drivers and passengers. 4G LTE will make services such as real-time traffic and navigation updates possible, pulling information from the cloud.”

And as long as we’re talking about what’s possible, what about a dash cam that provides a live stream or a replay of what’s happening with the car? This could work for vehicles that are both stationary (parked) or in motion (driving), and could be made available to owners, parents of concerned teenaged drivers, and even insurance companies investigating an accident.

4. Apps, Apps, Apps

In addition to giving cars the ability to communicate with other vehicles or with the vehicular infrastructure, the widespread integration of 4G LTE in GM vehicles will provide users the ability to access the recently-announced third-party application catalog. And according to GM, AT&T won’t be just a connectivity provider, but a “partner in developing and delivering new apps and services to customers.”

Without the car’s direct connection to the internet, a user would likely have to download an app through his or her computer, transfer it to a USB/thumb drive, and then run on down to his or her car to install the app using an in-car USB port. But with an in-vehicle internet connection, users would be able to bypass all of that by browsing and installing apps via the cloud-based app catalog — all without leaving the car. How cool and convenient is that?

5. Infotainment

Since the 4G LTE connection delivered to the vehicle will undoubtedly be able to create an in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot, users will have access to any web-based service they’d like. So whether it’s streaming video via Netflix or Hulu on a summer road trip for the kids in the back, streaming Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify for the rest of the vehicle’s occupants, or browsing the web on a tablet, the infotainment possibilities are nearly endless.

We can’t possibly hope to list all the possibilities enabled by a direct 4G cellular connection in the vehicle, but the potential for innovation exists in many areas. To take some inspiration from Steve Girsky’s announcement this morning, these 3,000-pound mobile devices deliver both miles per gallon and megabits per second, and GM hopes to surprise and delight drivers and passengers, streamline urban commuting, use resources more efficiently, and save lives.

GM will begin introducing 4G LTE connectivity on its vehicles starting with the 2015 model year (in 2014). How are you planning to use the 4G LTE connection come 2014? Talk to us in the comments.

GM Authority Executive Editor with a passion for business strategy and fast cars.

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Comments

  1. This is so much a boon I can’t even being to say. I am thrilled this is happening. I think this is going to entirely revolutionize the entire infotainment system in the cars. This is going to change the way the game is played in a lot of ways. A LOT OF WAYS!

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  2. This will be a mixed bag; nothing is ever all good or all bad, it just matters what the good will be and what the bad will be. Me? I don’t like being watched/monitored all the time, anywhere, no matter what I am doing.

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    1. In that case, you don’t have to order your vehicle with the 4G LTE equipment. But if it is standard, you can simply rip it out, as others paranoid with “being watched” have done with OnStar hardware already. That is usually followed by wrapping their home, vehicle, children, and dog in tin foil 🙂

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      1. I don’t have a dog. Paranoid? No, just privately independent. I don’t like the idea of big brother watching me all the time (even though I know I am being watched most of the time already).

        As for the vehicle with 4G LTE, no thanks.

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        1. In that case, just order your vehicle without it… or pull the system out if the first option isn’t in the cards.

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          1. It shouldn’t be a mandatory factory fitment. If you want it, opt in.

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      2. Hee Hee well said Alex!! 😉

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      3. Alex, Bell Canada and Telus Mobility will shut down CDMA technology in 2015. I believe OnStar relies on CDMA for voice and data services in Canada for GM vehicles 2014 or older. Will my 2014 OnStar and Navigation system not work when I travel to Canada next year?

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  3. I am not excited at all main reason being because AT@T has unimpressive 4G LTE coverage and I’m very biased towards Verizon 4G LTE.

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    1. @Hunter given that GM plans on rolling out vehicles equipped with 4G LTE from AT&T in over a year from now (sometime in 2014, probably in late 2014), the carrier will have significantly more coverage than it does today.

      Outside of that, isn’t LTE backwards-compatible with 3G HSDPA?

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      1. LTE is backwards compatible so basically if you have a 4G LTE you can use it anywhere.

        I am VERY concerned with AT&T being the carrier. I could say I am biased but I can back it up with my experience. I have had more than one person be in the same location as I am and get no service and I get perfect service. AT&T has been behind in cellular service for years and it shows. Their technology, their hardware, is still at least 5 years behind anything Verizon has now. Given their inability to keep up with Verizon in service so far, I highly doubt they have the resources or money to upgrade all their hardware now.

        Bummer. I will hope for the best but my guess is this will be an owner nightmare, similar to iPhone 5 and Google Maps. Only it will last much longer.

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    2. Agree, Verizon LTE seems to have less dead spots that AT&T.

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      1. We’re more than a year away from this becoming a reality… AT&T has plenty of time to roll out its network.

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  4. I, as well, am not sure this is the greatest thing. In many ways, I think we’re going to far with the connectivity thing. Why do I need all this?

    I also am wary of the “always-on” aspect of some of this. There are times (most of the time) I really don’t want to be on the grid. Either the system needs to allow for it to be definitively turned off, or it needs to be an option that can be deleted.

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    1. I’m with you Overlord. And I’ll add that I won’t be impressed until GM comes out with an efficient automatic transmission instead of a gadget system that can tell me two-ways-to-Sunday how poorly the car is performing compared to everybody else.

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  5. Perhaps the reason for the switch is that during a call, GSM can still pass data while CDMA cannot.

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    1. @Thumper For 3G, yes. But as far as I know, LTE does this as well.

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  6. Yes but do t still have to watch the road ?

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  7. There is no free lunch!

    I bellieve having a 4G LTE system would require continually paying the carrier for data usage. That sounds like that will potentially be a big revenue source for ATT. I am already paying a usage fee with my smart phone that I carry everywhere. So, signing up for 4G LTE in, say, a Volt, would be an added, on-going drain on my wallet. The ATT 4G LTE system probably would be set up as an account in which the user would buy a block of data. As the block is used up, a trigger would automatically debit your credit card for an additional block, a system similar to EZPass.

    I would think that a system that utilized an individual’s smart phone – porting the smart phone’s display functionality to the larger display in the car – would be just as effective, and less costly to the owner. I’m all for less costly 8>)

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  8. ..and now for my idea: replace the main infotainment screen with a larger (maybe 9 or 10″) screen that SWIVELS 180 degrees. In this way, when it is swiveled towards the passenger, they can use the full entertainment features while they are just along for the ride, but when the car is stopped, the screen could be swiveled towards driver, and as long as the acc position was used, all features would be available to driver as well. when ignition started, the visuals that are outlawed for front seat drivers would be shut off while in the driver position. Go for it GM!!

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    1. Easier implementation would be to use a monitor screen that is direction selective viewing.

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    2. What about using a technology that is already here? My daily driver knows when someone is sitting in the passenger seat and does not use their seat belt. Why not have it turn all that stuff on only if someone is sitting there? Might work.

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  9. Personally, I would rather use the hot spot capabilities that I already have. Both my Verizon BlackBerry 9930 has a 3G hot spot plus I have a standalone Verizon 4G “hot spot” cellular modem, Both work very well. Furthermore, it allows me to manage my usage charges all in one place.

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  10. @ Thumper Exactly! Do we really need an additional source to drain our wallets? Let’s have a system that works with what we have, rather than duplicating our smart phone connection to the internet. What we need is the capability to connect our phones through our car. It appears that GM wants to control the internet connection, rather that providing a means for the owner to utilize the internet as he wishes in his car. This is a wrong approach and the potential owner will see it for what it is, an expensive duplication of what he has in his pocket.

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  11. Like someone mentioned above, I would rather either tether my 4g lte phone for internet connection and have apps be directly loadef via that connection into the i.e. volt or displayed on it similar to what my pandora does now on the 2014 volt seemlessly. I have the choice of using the blue tooth audio and controlling pandor on the phone or using the pandora icon and controlling things there with the feature pandora provides and supports nicely. It will become yet another money maker for ATT as a subscription. And as the article states having to load the application using usb is a chore. Well for non techies it is but its only done once hopefully. And if loaded use the phone connection to do it. I don’t think the majority of people will pay for that additional ATT subscription that will be required. With Pandora, my xm sat trial will expire. PS: 2014 articles now bring this back to be discussed again and led me to this article.

    Reply

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