AT&T Partners With Global Automaker

AT&T reports it has made car-connected software to an undisclosed automaker.

AT&T Inc., the largest U.S. phone company, said it reached a deal with a global automaker to add to its ranks of customers looking to bring connectivity to cars.

The carmaker, based outside Asia, will have vehicles using AT&T’s wireless services in markets including China in a matter of weeks, said Joe Mosele, an AT&T vice president for devices including connected autos. He declined to name the automaker.
Automakers are competing for drivers looking to be connected while in their vehicles. Technology to do that is the top selling point for 39 percent of auto buyers, more than twice the 14 percent who say their first consideration is traditional performance measures such as power and speed, according to a study consulting firm Accenture released in December.

AT&T said last year that all Tesla cars would come equipped with its network chips, which allow two-way connections for services such as roadside assistance and stolen-vehicle location. The Tesla service also would include Internet access, navigation and entertainment on a 17-inch touch screen. Terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed.

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