dumb question, why do cars have wifi access points?
 

dumb question, why do cars have wifi access points?

Notice when cars go by I see "Tina's Tahoe" or "mychevrolet". Why do cars have wifi access points? Can mechanics connect and see issues? Is it connected to the internet via GSM so users can use the internet in cars?

Yes, most modern cars today have a built in mobile connection. This is mostly used to update the software in the car and the maps but also gives the option to setup your own hotspot, I imagine the thinking is to entertain the kids with potentially ipads without own mobile connection.

Probably has to do with software like Adraco said, but let's say you're an idiot and believe in conspiracies, then it's a WOKE tool to control the libs to make them eat soy while wearing adult diapers.

Theoretically, cars like the Cybertruck, with no direct connection between the steering wheel and the tires... could someone hack the truck and send someone's vehicle off a cliff?

I hate the idea that my steering wheel isn't directly connected to the steering rack, and yeah, I know, airplanes are all fly-by-wire these days but they still have mechanical backups if needed...

I have a hotspot in our malibu.

We have cheap phone plans so my wife only has 3gb of 5g data and I have 5gb of 5g data.

On trips, everybody in the car can hook to the hotspot. Kids can play games or listen to spotify or whatever apps they want to use. I switch between my sirius and amazon music and spotify. Also run google maps with android auto through the hotspot.

Onstar also uses the hotspot for some things.

Cool, So you do you have to pay a monthly internet access fee with your car? Or is that included in the price of the car?

Onstar sends me a monthly email on the condition of my car.
From tire pressure to remaining oil life to average speed driven.
It even knows my exact millage on the vehicle.
I'm like WTF did I buy? A spy machine?
I can cancel at any time it says; but I bet it keeps tracking after I cancel.
I even get a Carvana report of what I can sell the car for.
They charge me $40 a month for it too.
I just agreed to everything when I bought the car so that was added on.

I pay $480 a year to be followed, and they can kill my car engine if I report is stolen.
I'm undecided if this is good or bad.

:uhoh

I do not understand why cars need this.

My stereo in my old Jeep Grand Cherokee connected to my cell phone from Bluetooth, and one day I noticed my Jeep was connected to my home wifi network. Turns it out it was downloading map updates for GPS. WTF?

I have a new Jeep Grand Cherokee and again it uses bluetooth to connect to my cell phone. I do not need my stereo or Jeep connecting directly to the Internet. I use Amazon Music and Google maps. That's it.

I bought my car from Carvana too. It was fantastic. I got to pick the exact car I wanted and didn't have to talk to a salesman. The showed up, dropped it off, nearly a year later no issues.

If you're worried about someone stealing your wifi then you're driving to damn slow

I did not buy my car from Carvana; my car reports to Carvana through OnStar.

That's fucked up.

:2 cents:

"We are all fruits in a vast digital orchard, harvested for our data." - King Mark

This is one (of many) reasons I tell y'all the fight against AV is over. Too many higher powers want your data, and that helps them get it.

Got a better chance pre-emptively going after Project 2025, as that project cuts data supply to some important people, who might help.

Good luck out there 🫡

Carvana is great if you are selling, my niece had a newer car that had all type of issues. Some guy came by picked it up didn't do any inspection and gave her a check.

i pay $50/month for Onstar's premium package. it includes the internet access. the net alone bills at $15/month

Cars don't need it. it is a nice to have thing if you like it.

it is needed for certain Onstar things.

GM cars have had some level of mobile connectivity for a long time, initially reserved for OnStar. About 10 years ago, they started integrating LTE hotspot capabilities as well.

There was a window of probably a few years where this was very desirable, at a time when many mobile plans still offered limited data, smartphones weren't quite ubiquitous yet and not all offered hotspotting. Plus there's the convenience factor.

We got a new car somewhere around late 2015 and they gave us a free trial of OnStar that also included something like 10 GB of data for 3 months. We primarily used it on a road trip from Canada to the US and what was nice was that we didn't have to worry about roaming charges (the plan included Canada and US coverage at a time when that wasn't common). We used it for phones, tablets and even some quick work on the laptop.

Nowadays, though, with 200 GB of data monthly and Canada/US coverage, it just isn't worthwhile at the price point (1.5 GB for $15). I'd maybe do $5 for a chunk of 2-3 GB just for the convenience, especially if I could do it without monthly commitment.

This is possible in a "normal" car and was demonstrated back in 2015:

https://fractionalciso.ca/the-ground...cybersecurity/
https://archive.ph/tDcPD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK0S..._channel=WIRED

Current price is $15 for unlimited data for a GM hotspot.

Not in Canada :(

All power is being consolidated as fast as possible!

Canadian air is thicker, harder to get a cell signal through it.

I've got the new Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and it's got one. I can do all sorts of things to the vehicle from my phone. And it uses ATT so I can use it as a hotspot when I'm at camp, where my Verizon connections suck.

https://pictures.dealer.com/k/kellyj...341190d86x.jpg