Cars With Wi-Fi Hitting the New Information Highway

Consumers don't want to leave home without their wireless devices, allowing connectivity to be offered in places today that seemed unheard of just a handful of years ago. The trend will only accelerate as car makers see an "option-tunity" for Wi-Fi in automobiles; research firm iSuppli predicts integrated Wi-Fi systems in 7.2 million cars by 2017, a more than forty-fold increase from the 174,000 connected cars expected to hit the roads this year. Wi-Fi by itself is less useful than mobile broadband, however, and the auto industry is taking different routes to accomplish full connectivity to the cars of tomorrow. ISuppli suggests that automotive companies embracing Wi-Fi enjoy a competitive advantage over those that forego offering a wireless option. There's one road hazard with these connected cars, however: additional distractions to drivers who may find it easier to check Facebook, read email or engage in some other web-based activity.