en.Wedoany.com Reported - U.S. telecom operator AT&T has deepened its partnership with electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian, providing 5G connectivity services for Rivian's upcoming new model, the R2. Since 2023, AT&T has been providing connectivity services for Rivian's R1 SUV, pickup trucks, and its commercial van fleet. As a software-defined vehicle, the R2 will rely more heavily on wide-area connectivity to remain operational. AT&T stated that with high-speed mobile connectivity, R2 owners will be able to use over-the-air software updates, enjoy top-tier in-vehicle infotainment services, and a variety of real-time services.
Matt Harden, Vice President of AT&T Connected Solutions, said that connectivity is increasingly becoming the core of vehicle design, delivery, and improvement, and the partnership with Rivian is built around this transformation. Through 5G technology in the R2, they are helping to create a continuous innovation platform throughout the vehicle's lifecycle.
Tom Solomon, Vice President of Business Development at Rivian, added that every Rivian leaves the factory as a smart, connected, and powerful machine, but the technological journey does not stop there. Through the 5G connectivity provided by AT&T, R2 owners will get a vehicle that can access navigation and streaming services, answer complex questions via the AI-driven Rivian Assistant, and continuously improve through OTA software updates.
AT&T's services extend beyond software-defined vehicles. Its connected car partners also include brands such as Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Fiat, Ford, Mercedes, Porsche, Toyota, and Volvo. Existing AT&T customers can get unlimited in-vehicle data for $15 per month, while non-customers can choose to pay $15 for one week of data or $25 for a 30-day rolling contract. The vehicle will serve as a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, supporting up to 10 devices simultaneously.
AT&T also announced an agreement with music streaming provider LiveOne to add its Slacker Radio service to the in-vehicle entertainment platform. Supported by Cisco's SIM management platform's multi-party billing solution, automakers do not need to worry about integrating independent content services like Slacker Radio into vehicles. Matt Harden said that by establishing a direct connection between AT&T and entertainment providers, AT&T helps OEMs deploy services faster without managing separate connectivity integrations, while allowing content providers to offer automakers a turnkey connected experience.
Previously, it was reported that Vodafone expanded its partnership with Chinese automakers and the European division of Volvo's parent company, Geely. Its network will support remote diagnostics, OTA updates, and cloud service connectivity, and will deploy private networks at Geely's factories in Sweden and Germany. Connectivity is rapidly becoming one of the expectations drivers have for new vehicles. According to the "2025 Automotive Connectivity Future Report" released by the Connected Car Consortium (CCC), which cites S&P Global data, global annual sales of connected vehicles will grow from 56 million in 2023 to 76 million in 2030. The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers estimates that total new vehicle registrations in 2025 will approach 100 million.
The same CCC report also cited Deloitte data, predicting that the software-defined vehicle market will be worth between $400 billion and $600 billion by the end of this decade.
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