Sick of parking up outside Starbucks to eek some free Wi-Fi? (err, no… we definitely don’t do that either). Well there’s good news for the mobile but web-starved: Ford is set to offer its new car customers the option of turning their vehicles into moving Wi-Fi hotspots in 2010.
The next gen Sync in-car entertainment system will use a USB mobile broadband modem to establish a secure Wi-Fi connection.
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The system will be available in 2010 on selected Ford cars and will not require users to take any additional subscriptions to mobile internet services – users will merely use their own USB Wi-Fi routers to get online. The Wi-Fi enabled models are still to be confirmed by Ford.
"While you’re driving to grandma’s house, your spouse can be finishing the holiday shopping and the kids can be chatting with friends and updating their Facebook profiles," said Mark Fields, Ford president of the Americas.
"And you’re not paying for yet another mobile subscription or piece of hardware because Ford will let you use technology you already have."
Ford claims interest in in-car connectivity is increasing rapidly, with one-third of people surveyed by the Consumer Electronics Association in the US wanting the option of being able to get online while in the car.
Link: CNN (Via Tech Radar)
