Bloomberg reports, “Chrysler, the third-largest U.S. automaker, says it will be the first car company to provide in-car Internet access.”  The Detroit-based automaker says the “feature will be added to existing vehicles by dealers beginning this year and later be installed on the assembly line,” the first example of a new corporate strategy that will see Chrysler introduce new feature to vehicles as the model year progresses.  In order to utilize the service, “Consumers initially would need a subscription to a wireless phone carrier to ensure uninterrupted coverage.”

According to Autoblog, Chrysler says it “will utilize cell tower signals and a mobile phone account to make the radio a WiFi port, giving passengers access to the web.” 

Gizmodo quotes a Chrysler spokesperson saying, “We want to make the radio itself a WiFi port.”  Gizmodo adds, “Whether Chrysler will trick out [its] own navigation systems with an internet browser to make use of the functionality is not clear.”

Though Chrysler’s statement said it planned to be the first automaker to offer in-car internet access, BMW displayed a similar system at the Geneva Motor Show in early march.

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