Audi unveils in-car 4G LTE wireless broadband

USA: Audi AG unveiled the 2013 Audi A3 with 4G LTE wireless connectivity powered by the second generation Gobi multi-mode 3G/4G LTE chipset, the MDM9215, by Qualcomm Technologies Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc., at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

With peak data rates approaching 100 megabits per second, the enhanced "Audi connect" services in the A3 are expected to transform the user experience and provide enhanced features such as an in-car Wi-Fi hotspot, Internet radio, Web services and an augmented navigation system that presents street level visual imagery streamed to the vehicle.

"Audi was the first automaker to highlight the potential for LTE connectivity in vehicles at CES 2012 and now becomes the first automaker to announce a commercial model with embedded 4G LTE connectivity," said Ricky Hudi, chief executive engineer of electrics/electronics, Audi AG. "As a highlight, we will soon be offering a fully integrated LTE link for our Audi connect services in the new Audi A3 in 2013."

The Gobi MDM9215 chipset will be implemented by Audi in the automotive module. The solution will power Audi connect with 4G LTE speeds and is designed to enable enhancements to real-time navigation, weather and travel information while providing ultra-fast Wi-Fi hotspot access for up to eight devices in the car.

Qualcomm has been embedding its Gobi technology with leading automakers for more than a decade and is currently the largest supplier of 3G and 4G technologies and chipsets for passenger-car telematics and connected-car services, with tens of millions of connected vehicles in operation worldwide.