Audi will fit a custom-built Proximus data SIM to every new car it launches in Belgium, as it looks to offer customers a range of connected services.
Cars equipped with the Audi Connect service will be able to access Proximus’s 3G, LTE and LTE-Advanced networks. Audi Connect is an infotainment and entertainment service that offers passengers access to the likes of mapping, streaming music, local weather and news.
Passengers can connect their laptop, tablet or smartphone to a Wi-Fi hotspot, which allows them to browse via a stable connection.
Owners of a new Audi with the Connect service will be able to use up to 3GB of data per month free of charge if they order a vehicle before the end of June. After that date, car owners will be charged €20 per month for 3GB of data, although they will be charged for roaming.
Across Belgium, Proximus offers almost 100 percent 3G coverage and 98.7 percent coverage for its LTE network.
Last week, Ericsson said it was working with Volvo to develop “intelligent streaming” capabilities for vehicles. The vendor said it wanted to use a mix of mobile networks and the cloud to enable the seamless distribution of content.
Connected cars formed a major part of last week’s CES in Las Vegas. Gartner has estimated there will be at least 250 million connected vehicles on the road by 2020. This will account for one in five vehicles on the roads, with them offering passengers telematics, infotainment and automated driving.