Buckle up, a Bay Area startup is offering a new type of mobile Internet.
What
happens when a Pro Race Car Driver meets a Sr. Executive from Nortel’s
Innovation Lab? They create a network for cars that enables drivers and
passengers to take their Internet connection with them wherever they
go. Founded in Marin County, CA in 2005, Autonet Mobile provides the
first Always-On Broadband Internet service for cars. By providing
broadband Internet services and always-on Wi-Fi connectivity
nationwide, Autonet Mobile will soon extend the power of the Internet
to the 150 million vehicles on the road today.
During next week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, San Francisco-based Autonet Mobile will show off its portable router, designed to bring Wi-Fi to an area still largely devoid of Internet access—the automobile.
Autonet
Mobile's goal was to make the car cool again. They think people are
very interested in letting their kids be online and do cool things in
the car.
The company’s offering is a $399 box that plugs into
your car’s cigarette lighter or a standard wall plug. For a $49 monthly
fee, Autonet promises unlimited Internet access on the go. The box uses
cellular data networks to connect to the Internet and behaves like any
other Wi-Fi hotspot. That means multiple users can get online
simultaneously using a single box as an access point.
Autonet is currently taking pre-orders for units it said will start shipping this spring.
Mr.
Pratz was quoted saying Autonet has also signed a deal with a family of
dealerships in Northern California that will offer its product
alongside Toyota, Volvo, Land Rover, and Maserati vehicles. A former
race car driver, Mr. Pratz has experience dealing with major auto
manufacturers and said Autonet is interested in working with well-known
companies. “We’re an interesting marriage between the automotive
industry and the technology provider industry,” he said.
Will this be less distracting to other drivers than seatback and fold-down in-car movie screens?
Quote: “You’re not tied to a coffee shop anymore.”
-Sterling Pratz -- Autonet Mobile
What do you think about this latest 'moving' innovation ?
Jody DeVere
President
Ask Patty.com, Inc.