Autonet Mobile
Autonet Mobile was a Santa Rosa, California based company that provided 4G in-vehicle telematics devices, and marketing and management software for automotive dealerships and aftermarket service providers. The company held several original equipment manufacturer agreements with the automotive manufacturers General Motors, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Subaru, and Volkswagen.[1][2] In early 2011, it was estimated that there were 10,000 Autonet Mobile users in the United States.[3] As of 2009, the Autonet Mobile routers were primarily available as a factory installed product that required activation, although they were also available as an aftermarket product through auto dealerships and retailers as well as online retailers like Amazon.com.[4]
History
[edit]Autonet Mobile was founded in 2005 by Sterling Pratz and Doug Moeller in Sonoma County, California. The company developed a mobile router that connected to 3G cellular networks to create a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot.[5] Autonet Mobile launched its services in 2007.[6] They presented at the International Consumer Electronics show in 2008 and by 2009 had reported a sales increase of 221% in the first quarter.[7][8][9] General Motors and Subaru began offering the Autonet Mobile service as a dealer-installed option in 2009[10] with Mercedes and the Chevrolet Silverado adopting the Wi-Fi device in 2012.[11][12] The company partnered with Robert Bosch GmbH to manufacture an embedded telematics unit to interface with a vehicle's CAN bus.[13]
Other uses
[edit]Autonet Mobile's Wi-Fi devices were sold to counties in Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, and Washington, D.C. for use in school buses, which prompted the development of internal content filters.[14][15][16] In 2011, the Southside EMS department in Chatham County, Georgia equipped 35 ambulances with the Autonet Mobile Wi-Fi routers, allowing EMS technicians to file trip reports and share EKG information with hospitals while en route.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ "Wi-Fi cars hit the information superhighway". Archived from the original on 2015-02-11. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
- ^ "Company's mobile Wi-Fi router for cars will be offered as option in GM's Cadillac CTS starting next month". Archived from the original on February 12, 2015.
- ^ "Wi-Fi cars hitting the information superhighway". phsy.org. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "Autonet Mobile in-car WiFi router goes national with Amazon availability".
- ^ Baig, Edward. "Autonet car-based Wi-Fi system was neat but a bit bumpy". USA Today. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ Baig, Edward. "Gadgets tap into consumers' need to be on the go, desire for high-def". USA Today. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ "Let's get in the car and … surf? - Columns". Archived from the original on 10 July 2013.
- ^ "Cars Gone Wireless". Archived from the original on 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
- ^ "In-Car Electronics Poised to Rebound". Archived from the original on 2012-03-10. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
- ^ "Seven Chevy models eligible for $199 Autonet Mobile WiFi router".
- ^ "Take Your Office on the Road with the 2012 Chevy Silverado". 29 August 2011.
- ^ "Autonet Mobile Inc - Company Profile and News".
- ^ HighBeam
- ^ Dillon, Sam (12 February 2010). "Wi-Fi Turns Rowdy Bus into Rolling Study Hall". The New York Times.
- ^ "Nederland school bus becomes Wi-Fi hot spot". 21 March 2012.
- ^ Quillen, Ian (11 June 2010). "Districts Equipping School Buses with WiFi". Education Week.
- ^ "Speeding Patient Care - Case Study: The Connected Ambulance". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
- Defunct electronics companies of the United States
- Online automotive companies of the United States
- Franchises
- Technology companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Companies based in Santa Rosa, California
- Electronics companies established in 2005
- Telecommunications companies established in 2005
- 2005 establishments in California