GM and AT&T Set Auto Connectivity Goal at 5G

General Motors and AT&T said today they will bring 5G cellular connectivity to millions of GM vehicles coming off the assembly line during the next decade in the United States. GM and AT&T want to set the benchmark for automotive connectivity with a fifth-generation cellular network architecture to meet the needs of an all-electric and autonomous future. GM and AT&T are collaborating to build a high performance 5G core network.

5G connectivity will first be available in some model year 2024 vehicles. Additionally, through GM’s fifth generation network, current 4G LTE-equipped model year 2019 and newer vehicles will experience faster connectivity speeds and many of the same performance benefits of future 5G-equipped vehicles., it’s claimed. Current Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac owners in the U.S. with 4G LTE-capable model year 2019 and newer vehicles will migrate to the new network infrastructure once available. (GM Adds New Hands-Free Super Cruise to 6 MY 2022 Vehicles; 911 Safety Technology – OnStar Expands with RapidDeploy)

Network enhancements will include:

• Improved roadway-centric coverage
• Faster music and video downloads with higher quality
• Faster, more reliable, and secure over-the-air software updates
• Faster navigation, mapping, and voice services

This rollout is part of GM and AT&T’s strategy – or is it wishful boasting? – to launch the world’s largest fleet of 5G-enabled vehicles. This is the result of  a two-year collaboration, including test-driving connected vehicles at GM’s 5G proving grounds in Milford, Michigan.

GM offers OnStar and Connected Services* to more than 16 million customers in the U.S. and Canada. Since the launch of 4G LTE in 2014, GM owners have used more than 171 million gigabytes of data across its brands, which is equivalent to nearly 5.7 billion hours of music streamed or more than 716 million hours of streaming video. To support GM’s delivery of next-generation connected vehicle solutions, AT&T and Microsoft are bringing together AT&T’s 5G network with Microsoft’s scalable and allegedly secure cloud services.

The 4G LTE and 5G network improvements will be foundational for the future of GM’s growing over-the-air update strategy, an element of the automaker’s – they are hardly alone in this – overall innovation and growth plan. With more advanced features and faster download speeds, more data is accessible GM’s fifth-generation network will also provide a foundation for its technology, such as Super Cruise and its Vehicle Intelligence Platform. This is critical for its stock price since survivors in the automobile businesses will have to increase revenues at least to match the huge capital outlays needed to stay current and therefore competitive.

“Together with AT&T, we’ve brought unprecedented experiences to the daily commute, family road trips and everything in between,” claimed Santiago Chamorro, GM vice president of Global Connected Services.

OnStar and AT&T Caveats

 *Connected services include navigation services and Remote Access Plan. Data plans offered by AT&T. Services subject to user terms and limitations. Certain services require working electrical system, cell reception and GPS signal. OnStar links to emergency services. Visit onstar.com for details. Availability subject to change.