Chrysler announces WiFi-enabled cars: “We want to make the radio itself a WiFi port,” a spokesperson said. The service will require a subscription to a wireless phone carrier. [Washington Post]
More From Consumerist
-
Nordstrom Now Using Your Smartphone To Track Your Shopping Behavior
-
AT&T Customers Will Probably Have To Wait Before Using Google Hangouts Over Cellular
-
Man’s Tireless Search For His Stolen Car Pays Off 42 Years Later When He Spots It On eBay
-
Don’t Call Your High School Crush: Facebook Launches Free Voice Calls On Messenger App
-
Apple’s Gaming World Just Grew With Addition Of Macs To Its Game Center
Let me be the first to say that I think this is a terrible idea. We already have problems with people sending SMS while driving, now we have to worry about them surfing or playing WoW while driving.
Maybe Chrysler should concentrate on making non-shitty cars that do well on gas instead of the latest buzzwords.
Another distraction to the driver! Yay!
Why would anyone buy this? Via Jalopnik- “the router module will cost $449, plus another $50 for installation (which should really be free if you’re offering to take a Sebring off their hands), and then add $29 per month for Web access.”
This makes sense, how?
Ugh. Just what we need. Cellphone talking, text message sending, DVD viewing, GPS setting drivers with access to the internet. What could possibly go wrong?
@IamNotToddDavis: Agreed, you’d think they’d at least throw in free installation since you’re buying a new car and paying an extra $450 for the router. Although, it would sure be nice to “borrow” someone’s car wi-fi driving down the highway(as a passenger of course).
@crabbyman6: They would have to make a strong argument why buying this makes more sense than simply buying a Sprint/AT&T/T-Mobile/(Insert wireless provider here) wireless card for your laptop, which I believe they currently run around $35/month.
What kind of nitwit… oh, never mind.
Only use I could see for this for myself personally is to stream internet radio… but that’s not worth $30/mo + $500 to install, IMO.
It might be a nice perk if I’m renting a car to go on a long road trip and there will be stretches where somebody else is driving, though.
It seems to me that any halfway talented geek could build this for far less, and even offer such builds for sale, if there were an actual market for it.
ME WANT!
What is wrong with you people??! This sounds awesome! I wish I could have this feature in my car.
I agree the price is absurd, but I can think of hundreds of uses to having Wi-Fi in my car.
Of course the point is not for the driver to be using it while driving. It’s more for the passengers and for when your car is parked.
If used correctly by people like me that would take advantage of it properly on a regular basis, then there is nothing wrong with it.
This is just asking for trouble. Forget the fact that (as many people have stated before) drivers have enough distractions already–what about (new) teenage drivers?? They have enough problems with texting/driving/talking/goofing around and being teenagers as it is–this is just one more thing to add to the long list of things that can endanger their lives and those around them.
I was a teenager once… I remember the stupid stuff we did while driving, and texting wasn’t even around then!
(oh boy, did I just date myself!)
This is awesome. I’ve always found it burdensome to only be able to watch porn from the privacy of my home. Thanks Chrysler!
I see no problem with this. I think there are more good things that can come from a fully-connected vehicle than bad things. Ultimately, it comes down to dumb consumers. Having the option is not in and of itself bad.
Real-time traffic, streaming music, access to your personal media and information, and skype all come to mind immediately.
If you’re going to be stupid enough to play WoW while you’re driving, it has nothing to do with access; it has everything to do with your intelligence.
Seems like a cool idea, but I’d rather do it with portable gear. Something I can plug in at my hotel room as well or move to a different car.
Great idea! Hands free downloading. Porn for the road!
Thank god! Finally a car company has come up with another solution to a dreaded problem in society. Conversations. Now if there’s no one to call, no one to text, nothing on the radio, only old DVD’s to pop into my in-car entertainment system and I’ve already stopped at mcdonalds twice, I can now log on to the internet. Phew, for a second I thought i was going to have to relate to a person (my passenger) face to face!
Let me know when they have high-efficiency enabled small vehicles only for sale. They need to spend less time on bullshit like this and how big the damn cupholders are and actually work on the car itself.
just what i wanted!!! a need for IT support in my car!
great thinking, detroit! just what ive come to expect from you.
WOW! That would be awesome! Factor in the price of gas and you’ll only be paying $2.99 per minute for internet!
@drftjgoj:
yes. “the internet is for porn”. but be careful, recently a driver got arrested for having porn visible to other drivers on his video screen.