At CES, there’s a ton of news pouring out, like every year, and this year a huge bit of it seems to be about the advancement of Connected Transportation solutions. And AT&T is right in the thick of it, judging by the pure volume of announcements in the arena.
American Center for Mobility Names AT&T its Exclusive Cellular Network Provider
AT&T is teaming up with the American Center for Mobility to speed the development of self-driving vehicles to explore, create and safely test driverless technologies, and AT&T will serve as the Center's exclusive cellular network provider through 2020, according to the announcement.
“We want to create a safe, scalable and cost-effective driverless future. To get there, we have to do it together,” said Chris Penrose, President, Internet of Things Solutions, AT&T. “The American Center for Mobility will provide an environment that will further cross-industry collaboration. Together, we'll pave the way for innovations that change how we think about driving.”
As the exclusive cellular network provider, AT&T will provide the Center with the network resources and Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure needed to advance driverless technologies.
“For a car to be fully connected and automated, it needs to be able to ‘talk’ to everyone and everything around it in a highly secure manner,” said John Maddox, President & CEO, American Center for Mobility. “AT&T is bringing its cellular network strength and industry leadership into a comprehensive CAV test facility, and we're thrilled to have them as our first industry collaborator.”
AT&T, Delphi, and Ford Debut LTE Network to Help Cars Communicate
AT&T, Delphi and Ford are developing a new enhancement for Vehicle-to-Anything (V2X) communications, according to one statement. The platform is designed to help vehicles talk with each other and Smart City infrastructure to improve safety and vehicle security, reduce traffic congestion, save money and protect the environment.
The initiative will monitor traffic conditions and notify drivers over the AT&T LTE network about events like airbag deployments, vehicle collisions, hazardous road conditions, bad weather and wrong-way driving.
“We're moving from today's connected car to a fully autonomous vehicle. Our work with Delphi and Ford will deliver safer, more secure, cost-effective and efficient solutions to do this,” said Penrose.
“This technology has the ability to drastically reduce accidents and save lives,” said Jim Zizelman, VP, Engineering, Delphi. “DSRC and LTE both have a unique role to play. The combination will help speed the adoption of V2X overall.”
“We believe robust, secure vehicle communications offers the potential to dramatically improve safety, reduce congestion and help protect the environment,” said Don Butler, executive director, Ford Connected Vehicle and Services. “Accelerating the deployment of these communications requires collaboration across industries and government agencies.”
AT&T and American Honda Enter Connected Car Agreement
AT&T and American Honda Motor, Co. are bringing 4G LTE connectivity to Honda vehicles in the U.S. and Canada as part of an exclusive multi-year agreement. The AT&T 4G LTE network will connect HondaLink apps and services for vehicles, including navigation, streaming radio, diagnostics and remote lock/unlock.
“Honda owners are some of the most loyal customers in the world. We can't wait to bring them an even better driving experience,” said Penrose. “Wireless connectivity and connected car services continue to be a key feature in customers' next car purchase decision. Our work with Honda will deliver new capabilities to future models.”
AT&T has said it’s determined to be a Connected Car leader, focused on serving the growing number of tech-savvy car owners looking for an improved driving experience. To that end, it has launched two major initiatives: the first is a connected car lab and research center in Atlanta, called the AT&T Drive Studio, and the second is the company’s global platform, AT&T Drive, which is modular and flexible to allow carmakers to build unique solutions for its customers.
Edited by
Alicia Young
