Connected cars are becoming more and more popular and there is no doubt that this is one of the aspects most valued by drivers. In addition to the internet connection of the vehicle itself, there is also the possibility of having Wi-Fi in the car, but how does it work?
The truth is that although its basic principles are the same as in a home or premises, that is to say, that a device is responsible for supplying wireless internet connection to others, inside the car there are certain peculiarities, as well as types of systems among which to choose.
Basically, Wi-Fi connections in the car can be divided into two types: that the vehicle has it integrated from the factory or that it is installed in it later using external methods. Naturally, each of them has its advantages.
integrated Wi-Fi
As regards factory Wi-Fi, it is based on a SIM card that is integrated into the vehicle itself. It is something that at the moment is not very common and there are few brands that offer it: BMW, Lexus, Toyota, Audi, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Opel, Bentley, Nissan and Volkswagen.
These systems have in their favor the fact that, being standard, they have everything necessary to make it work as it should, which will save you the occasional headache. In addition, they are usually included in the price for the first years. On the contrary, they tend to be closed rates with prices that, on some occasions, are quite high.
external Wi-Fi
It is the option that remains for those who buy a car that does not have Wi-Fi and for those who, having an old vehicle, want to update it to be able to enjoy this technology.
In this case, two possibilities open up, the first being to use a smartphone or tablet as a ‘hotspot’ and to share your data with other devices (something that can be done anywhere); and the second to install a MiFi device, also called portable routers.
The use of the smartphone is not recommended for several reasons. The main one is that acting as a WiFi generator point consumes a lot of battery, so it will not last long unless it is recharging at the same time. The second is that the connection is more unstable and may not give much speed to the other devices.
It is a better idea to opt for a MiFi, which has an integrated SIM and can work both on battery and (which is more common) plugged into the car, either via USB or cigarette lighter, to have power.
The range of models is quite varied but, as a general rule, they have a maximum speed of 150 Mbps and allow between 5 and 10 devices to be connected. Its main negative point is that it already implies an extra outlay on the device itself, in addition to another data rate.
Operator rates for cars
Currently there is only one operator that provides a specific service to have Wi-Fi in the car, Movistar, both Vodafone and Orange had their own, but they are no longer marketed.
Movistar Car has a rate of 3 euros per month to which you have to add 20 euros to register. It has 20 gigabytes per month and is installed through the OBD port, in addition to having additional functions such as GPS to locate the car, notify if fines associated with the car’s registration have been published, etc.
