Ericsson, AT&T collaborate to produce connected cars

Global telecommunication and information industry leader Ericsson Tuesday announced an agreement with AT&T to improve car connectivity powered by Ericsson's advanced Connected Vehicle Cloud technology.

The agreement aims at delivering unprecedented driving experience and helps advance the automotive cloud ecosystem by making it easier to connect in-vehicle technology.

"We created the AT&T Drive platform to bring automakers the best the industry has to offer, so we can deliver innovation, not a one-size-fits-all solution. Ericsson is an integral player in that platform of services," said Chris Penrose, senior vice president, AT&T Mobility. "Ericsson's connected vehicle cloud realizes the true potential of connected vehicle products and applications."

Connected Vehicle Cloud is based on Ericsson's Service Enablement Platform, providing drivers and passengers with access to applications directly from a screen in the car. Examples of consumer services include the ability to detect vehicle repair issues, automatically book service appointments, subscribe to in-vehicle Wi-Fi, and on-demand infotainment.

The solution is enhanced by its ability to send and receive information from third-party ecosystems players, such as satellite radio content providers, road authorities, and city and government sites.

"AT&T recognizes the vast potential that exists to transform digital experiences in and around the car, and has built a wireless network that can truly bring the connected vehicle ecosystem to life," said Per Borgklint, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Support Solutions, Ericsson. "As Ericsson ramps up connected efforts with AT&T, we continue to expand the value and direct consumer impact of the Connected Vehicle Cloud service offering."

Ericsson has a strong role as a system integrator and managed services provider, applying experiences from the fast-moving cellular industry on similar ICT challenges in other industries. Part of Ericsson's Transport and Automotive offerings, Connected Vehicle Cloud targets the global automotive industry's existing and future demands for scalability, security and flexibility in the provisioning of connected car services to drivers and passengers.