AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — Mopar confirmed on Monday that it will start rolling out an aftermarket in-vehicle "hot spot" system later this year. Chrysler added that the technology is also planned for "future model-year vehicles" but did not specify which ones will be the first to get the system.
Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa could not tell Inside Line exactly how much the "hot spot" system will cost but said pricing will be announced "very soon." He was reluctant to give a ballpark estimate for the system. However, he said it is set up to interact with a vehicle's USB port and said it would be compatible on Chrysler vehicles equipped with the optional MyGiG multimedia system. MyGiG is available on many, but not all, Chrysler vehicles. Since it is not available on the Dodge Viper, it means Viper owners will be shut out of the initial rollout of the "hot spot" system, Cappa confirmed. That means the Jeep Compass and Patriot and the Dodge Caliber won't get the "hot spot" system right away either, since they don't have MyGiG available.
The automaker said the technology will "deliver Internet and e-mail access and movie and music download capability directly to the vehicle." The system is able to provide "high-speed data transfer and convenience, combining WiFi and 4G connectivity," Chrysler said in a statement.
Chrysler used the occasion of the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress, which kicked off Monday in Detroit, to detail its plans for other high-tech and convenience features. The automaker will tweak its rear-seat entertainment system with a swivel third-row screen to let rear-facing passengers see the screen. That feature will make its debut on the 2009 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan.
Those Chrysler minivans will also get the optional Rear Cross Path system, which is designed to warn drivers who are backing out of parking spaces about traffic moving toward their vehicle. The system notifies the driver via an illuminated icon on the sideview mirror as well as a chime.
What this means to you: You still won't be able to read your e-mail in your Viper, but other Chrysler owners are going to have a crack at some hot new technology in very short order. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=125613