When it’s a question of mobility, the United States has for almost a century
proffered a single concise answer: Cars.
Looking
to the very near future of 802.11 networks, some experts say that the automobile
may again prove to be the
"vehicle" of choice.
In a recent study, market research firm Allied
Business Intelligence said the automotive industry is right now moving to
incorporate Bluetooth wireless infrastructure into its vehicle design. While
just 1 percent of new vehicles will include embedded Bluetooth nodes in 2003,
the study predicts that number will swell to 19 percent by 2007.
The next step would then be 802.11 connections: Some 12 percent of new
cars will include embedded 802.11 hardware by 2007, the study predicts. An
802.11 network might be used to pay tolls, charge gasoline purchases or warn
drivers of upcoming road hazards.
Vehicle manufacturers see wireless tools as a way to pare down the costs
of building a car, according to Frank Viquez, wireless analyst at Allied
Business Intelligence. Bluetooth links,
for instance, might allow automakers to use less wiring within a vehicle, while
also allowing them a simple access point whereby to monitor the quality of a
vehicle’s construction as it makes its way down the assembly line.
Wireless links also might allow dealers to download vehicle status
information on a regular basis. "One of the big costs to manufacturers is
in warranties, so if they can download data and then adjust their warranties
according to how someone drives, they can potentially save a lot of money,"
said Viquez.
A number of developers of wireless applications and devices are gearing up
their efforts to meet the anticipated demand for such items by the auto
industry.
Take, for example, Intersil Corp.,
with offices in Florida and California. The maker of wireless chipsets has
worked with various automotive- and wireless-industry bodies to develop uniform
standards that will govern 802.11 wireless standards in future automotive
applications.
"There are pages and pages of applications that have been
discussed" for automotive 802.11 uses, said Tim Godfrey, strategic
marketing manager for Intersil. "We can envision 802.11 being used for
vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Brake lights for example could be communicated
by radio, or there could be things like electronic signs and warnings that
convey information farther than you can actually see."
On a lighter note, applications might address Americans’ need for
amusement on the go. "You could park you car in the garage, for instance,
then connect it to your home network and download audio and video entertainment
content," said Godfrey.
An 802.11-equipped automobile also could give drivers the opportunity to do their Web surfing from convenient roadside locations. "One of the more significant applications…is Internet hotspots, like Wi-Fi hotspots. They will start at gas stations and truck stops, but also extend to drive-through retail locations, toll plazas, and so on," Godfrey predicted. Using 802.11 applications, "it is very easy to bring traditional and new Internet applications into the vehicle."
Before that happens, experts say, automakers first will Bluetooth-enable
their products. At Extended Systems in Boise,
ID, for example, the sales staff already is delivering Bluetooth protocol stacks
to a vendor who works closely with automaker BMW. In theory, such stacks could
be integrated into an automobile’s electronics system in order to vastly extend
the interactive capabilities of cell phones.
"It enables a user to bring a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone into the
car and make a wireless connection to an in-dash system. Fitted with a
voice-recognition software system, this would allow them to make hands-free use
of that phone," explained Charlie Denton, product manager for wireless
connectivity solutions at Extended Systems.
Add a factory installed in-dash microphone
and speakers, and the possibilities are endless. "The phone can be in the briefcase, it can be in the side of the door
or in the cup holder, and you can still use the capabilities of that phone to
make calls," said Denton.
This could be a big selling in Europe and Asia, where many municipalities
already have outlawed the use of handheld phones while driving. In the United
States, too, such laws are starting to take hold, and thus an in-dash wireless
setup could help automakers to add perceived value to their vehicles.
First and foremost, though, onboard 802.11 networks likely would be used
to help drivers spend their money more efficiently.
"By
far the greatest amount of interest shown in 802.11a use has been by the ETC
(electronic toll collection) community. Gasoline retailers such as Shell and
Exxon Mobil have also been expressing increasing interest in the
technology," according to the study from Allied
Business Intelligence.
Before such applications can take off, however, automakers and applications developers
likely will have to allay consumer fears regarding security.
With
802.11 security flaws already widely reported, consumers will almost certainly
require some reassurance that their financial data and other information is safe
before they will agree to pay for toll charges and gasoline purchases via a
wireless network.
