3 On Your Side: Automakers Equipping Cars With WiFi
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- How important is having a constant connection to the internet for you? For many of us these days it's a job requirement.
As 3 On Your Side consumer reporter Jim Donovan found, more and more automakers are equipping cars with WiFi, so you can stay connected right from the road.
Bill Begal's car functions as his mobile office. When he bought new wheels he thought twice about getting this in car WiFi.
"I thought it would be silly to spend an extra 20 dollars a month on something I don't need and then I realized it could be an absolute asset," said Begal.
Now Bill just starts up his car, his WiFi password is saved in the system, so his electronics automatically hook up to an encrypted connection.
He checks email, sends proposals, even catches up on his favorite television shows between appointments.
"I absolutely believe that having the WiFi is much more reliable than just cell signal," said Begal.
So how does it work?
"In-car WiFi works by having the proper equipment installed in the vehicle and then you're going to have a cell modem in the vehicle that's going to then send out a WiFi hotspot and at that point you just sync up your laptop, tablet, or computer and you're ready to go," said Ron Montoya with Edmunds.
And car connectivity ranges from "3 g" to the faster "4g lte" and of course you've got to pay for the data you use.
Besides hooking your electronic devices up to the car's signal - in the future the bigger benefit will be having your car linked to dealers and auto makers.
"The fact that the car is connected to the web will allow it to get updates from the manufacturer, receive diagnostic information, and communicate with the outside world; something that a vehicle wasn't able to do previously," said Montoya.
The prices of the data packages range on how much you use and your provider.
Some coverage comes free when you buy the car, but they vary by automaker.