Six months trial on the new A3, after that it’s a $99 minimum per six months
At CES we saw more than one example demonstrated of cars with integrated 4G LTE connectivity. Audi is about to make it a reality on an actual roadgoing model with the new 2015 A3, but it comes at a price. Audi has partnered with AT&T for the service that does at least offer a six-month free trial for all new A3s with the Audi Connect system.
After this, you’ve got to pony up the dough to carry on using it. The cheapest plan is $99 for 5GB of LTE data spread out over a period of six months. If you want more than that, AT&T will sell you 30GB spread over 30-months, for $499. You read that right.
Audi also says that starting this summer, you’ll be able to add your car to your existing AT&T Mobile Share plan. That’s right, your car. Audi isn’t going to be the only ones offering 4G LTE connectivity in the ar this year, but it’s pretty much first out of the gate with delivering.
Sure, you’re maybe not going to use LTE as much on your car as you will on your smartphone, but it’s still pretty darn pricey. This isn’t the first example of connected cars we’ve seen from Audi, either. Back at CES we took a look at its first efforts using Android, with its Smart Display and Google powered satellite navigation. Is LTE in your car something you’re really pining for, though? Especially at these prices?
Source: Audi