Chevy has announced the availability of 4G LTE in select vehicles beginning this summer, as well as an all-new AppShop which will allow unique infotainment system personalization according to each vehicle owner’s preferences.
The OnStar 4G LTE will be available as an option running on AT&T’s network and will make its appearance in select 2015 models arriving in showrooms this summer. You’ll find this connectivity first in the 2015 Corvette, Impala, Malibu, and Volt.
The second wave of vehicles equipped with OnStar 4G LTE will include the Equinox, Silverado, Silverado HD, Spark and Spark EV. Even Canada will be getting in on the action with the system coming to the Chevrolet Trax.
The plan is for most vehicles in their lineup to come equipped with built-in 4G LTE at launch. More models are expected to be announced later in the year.
Turning vehicles into Wi-Fi hotspots will allow people to connect multiple devices from phones to tablets to laptops without worrying about wires running every which way.
In addition to the OnStar 4G LTE technology, Chevy is introducing their new AppShop. This will be available through the MyLink system and it will give consumers access to all the available apps through an icon on their screens. There will be a wide selection of apps covering music, news and vehicle data.
Once they find an app they want they can then simply download it directly to the car. Taking it one step further, the apps can be arranged, updated and deleted by the consumer to create a uniquely customized interface.
Mindful of the dangers of distracted driving, apps which require significant driver attention are unavailable while vehicles are in motion. These include apps that require the use of the keyboard.
These new technology offerings coincide with 10th hardware generation of OnStar which will allow for voice and high speed data services.
Here’s our review of the 2014 Chevy Impala, one of the first vehicles to sport 4G LTE for the 2015 model year…
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.
