AT&T to provide mobile access to Ford connected car platform
LAS VEGAS – AT&T scored another significant automotive connectivity deal, announcing a multi-year agreement with Ford to power the company’s Sync Connect in-car system.
The agreement calls for Ford to provide mobile broadband connectivity to Ford Motor Company vehicles installed with its Sync Connect system. The connection is set to provide for remote locking and unlocking of the vehicle; taps the vehicle’s GPS system to locate a parked vehicle on a map; remote starting or to schedule a start time; and remote viewing of vehicle information, including fuel and battery levels and tire pressure.
The latest Sync Connect platform embedded with AT&T connectivity is scheduled to launch in the coming months inside Ford’s latest Escape model, with plans to connect more than 10 million vehicles over the next five years in the U.S. and Canada with the platform. AT&T said it added 1 million connected cars to its network in “late 2015.”
AT&T provided network connectivity for Ford’s 2011 launch of its MyFord Mobile service, which allowed owners of Ford’s plug-in vehicles to remotely connect their smartphones with the car to manage charging. AT&T in 2014 opened up its auto-centric Drive Studio in Atlanta, providing a central location for developers and automakers to work on in-car connection services. The carrier also recently pushed forward with its more specific AT&T Drive program targeting the automotive space. AT&T last year struck a deal with Audi to power the Audi Connect feature in all U.S.-based 2016 Audi models.
AT&T in 2013 also pushed aside rival Verizon Wireless as the mobile connectivity partner for General Motors’ OnStar system. Verizon Communications has recently battled back with its Hum connected car offering that relies on a vehicles on-board diagnostic port.
In addition to the Ford deal, AT&T also said it renewed its agreement with BMW to provide mobile connectivity for the automakers ConnectedDrive platform in North America. The agreement adds connectivity for “infotainment” features, including a mobile hot spot tapping into the carrier’s LTE network. AT&T Mobility allows customers to add vehicle connectivity to its shared data plans for $10 per month.
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