Qualcomm unveils fourth-generation LTE modem

     US chipmaker Qualcomm has introduced fourth-generation LTE modems designed to allow cars to better wirelessly connect to cloud-based services over the network. Qualcomm says cars with this new technology will be available in the next few years. Qualcomm's Snapdragon X12 and X5 modems are designed to be embedded inside the car and provide support for owners' mobile devices to access various Internet services such as streaming music and vehicle diagnostics.

     Cars are becoming a key battleground for tech giants such as Google and Apple, which see huge business opportunities lurking in providing Internet access to drivers on the road.

     Kanwalinder Singh, senior vice president of business development at Qualcomm, said: "These modems will provide automakers and consumers with an in-car experience comparable to the user experience of the best smartphones. "The user experience that consumers get on their smartphones raises their expectations for what they can expect in the car."

     Singh said the new modem runs faster and will support telematics and infotainment systems that are being developed specifically for cars and could be put on the market in the next two to three years. He expects the "ubiquitous connectivity" offered by Qualcomm's new embedded modems - the ability to stay connected to the Internet - to be welcomed by automakers and third-party service providers.

     The technology means, among other things, that car dealers can alert customers when they need service or if a particular part needs to be repaired. In some cases, the car's software can be upgraded wirelessly when the vehicle is parked in a garage overnight.

     In addition, insurance companies can offer premium benefits to owners with good driving habits if they agree to have their driving behavior monitored wirelessly and transmitted to a third party via a modem in the car.

     "The marriage of the smartphone and the car is the next big thing," says Mr Singh. In the future, mobile devices such as phones and tablets will be fully integrated with modems and software embedded in cars, he said.

     This means that car owners will be able to access a wider range of applications and services, and their cars will be able to communicate wirelessly with other vehicles (this is known as V2V technology) to help avoid potential accidents, traffic jams, etc.