Vodafone New Zealand, a telecommunications service provider and subsidiary of Vodafone announced that it is providing wireless connectivity to cars by working with BMW to fit 2015 BMW vehicles with its special Global SIM that connects the vehicles to BMW's global fleet. The SIM connects most new 2015 BMW vehicles to be released in New Zealand to Vodafone's global machine-to-machine (M2M) platform.
According to Vodafone, the SIM will power BMW’s interactive mobile technology, ConnectedDrive that is designed to deliver infotainment and other in-vehicle digital services for its drivers while providing telematics and other information for the auto-maker. M2M connectivity in vehicles has seen a rapid rise in the last year on the back of a number of key drivers including the increased use of M2M-based fleet management in transportation and logistics, demand in the consumer market for 4G LTE connection in the car, regulatory requirements, demand for vehicle tracking and safety applications and the increase in usage-based insurance schemes for vehicles.
Vodafone said that its SIM, which will be embedded in the vehicle during manufacture can last more than 10 years and can withstand harsh weather conditions. The SIM allows BMW to roll out a host of new services on its ConnectedDrive platform including automatic emergency call, remote locking and unlocking using the smartphone app, 24/7 concierge service and TeleService which provides direct communication to the auto-maker for vehicle maintenance and diagnosis purposes. To date, Vodafone New Zealand has more than one million M2M connections on its local network, added the operator.
"Our network connectivity essentially transforms the vehicle dashboard into a sophisticated smart device, and delivers a driving experience that goes far beyond the conventional. We’re delighted that the New Zealand market can experience this next level of mobile technology services from BMW - and believe we are on the cusp of some exciting future developments in the automotive M2M market."
- Grant Hopkins, Vodafone New Zealand Director of Enterprise
