Ford has announced that its SYNC multi-media system will include Wi-Fi compatibility in 2010. The system simply requires users to plug their wireless modem into the dash. By doing so, users are effectively making their car a wireless hotspot. Anyone within (or near) the vehicle that has access to the hotspot can go online. Ford claims that the system will work with any carrier’s modem, a nice feature for those of us tied to a specific service provider.
For those worried about people piggybacking on your wireless signal, Ford says:
Using the SYNC WiFi system, a signal will be broadcast throughout the vehicle. Default security is set to WiFi Protected Access 2 (WPA2), requiring users to enter a randomly chosen password to connect to the Internet. When SYNC sees a new WiFi device for the first time, the driver must specifically allow that device to connect, preventing unauthorized users from “piggybacking” on the SYNC-provided signal.
As automotive designers continue to explore ways to make vehicles fit seamlessly with our connected lifestyles, they continue to make the move towards “car as gadget” – a sentiment expressed by Peter Rojas, founder of gdgt.com, during PSFK’s most recent Good Ideas Salon in Tokyo.
via Gigaom
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