Chrysler is showing off their infotainment features on the 2010 "Connected" Grand Caravan at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show (which starts later this week).
The vehicle is a veritable swiss army knife of entertainment technology, with FLO TV, Sirius Satellite Radio, Sirius Backseat TV and Uconnect Web. The latter of which transforms the minivan into a traveling WiFi hotspot.
"The 'Connected' Dodge Grand Caravan is not a concept or a prototype; every feature highlighted in the vehicle is available for order today," said Dodge President and CEO Ralph Gilles.
The 2010 Connected Grand Caravan offers live mobile TV with up 20 channels through FLO TV (we first saw FLO TV at CES 2009). Networks offered include CBS Mobile, CNBC, Comedy Central, Fox News, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go, Nickelodeon and more.
FLO TV will be offered for $629 MSRP plus installation and includes a one-year subscription.
Add on Sirius Backseat TV (for a MSRP of $470) and get Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network. The first year of service is included when packaged with Chrysler's Rear Seat Entertainment System and Sirius Satellite Radio. After the first year, Sirius Backseat TV is available for $7 per month when packaged with Sirius Satellite Radio ($12.95 per month).
But then there's the Uconnect Web feature, which combines WiFi and 3G to transform the vehicle into a traveling hotspot.
Uconnect Web provides high-speed data transfer directly to the vehicle for instant access to Web sites, e-mail, personalized music, online gaming, photo albums and more. MSRP for the router module is $499, plus an additionally $34-50 for dealer installation. The wireless Internet service is offered by Autonet Mobile at $29 a month, plus there's a one-time $35 service activation fee.
The 2010 Connected Grand Caravan offers live mobile TV with up 20 channels through FLO TV (we first saw FLO TV at CES 2009). Networks offered include CBS Mobile, CNBC, Comedy Central, Fox News, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go, Nickelodeon and more. FLO TV will be offered for $629 MSRP plus installation and includes a one-year subscription.
Add on Sirius Backseat TV (for a MSRP of $470) and get Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network. The first year of service is included when packaged with Chrysler's Rear Seat Entertainment System and Sirius Satellite Radio. After the first year, Sirius Backseat TV is available for $7 per month when packaged with Sirius Satellite Radio ($12.95 per month).
But then there's the Uconnect Web feature, which combines WiFi and 3G to transform the vehicle into a traveling hotspot.Uconnect Web provides high-speed data transfer directly to the vehicle for instant access to Web sites, e-mail, personalized music, online gaming, photo albums and more. MSRP for the router module is $499, plus an additionally $34-50 for dealer installation. The wireless Internet service is offered by Autonet Mobile at $29 a month, plus there's a one-time $35 service activation fee.
Remember, this technology was first announced over two years ago. And what I said then still holds true today. Sirius XM shouldn't look at the "connected car" as competition, or even something to just ignore "until later" - instead look at it as something they can integrate into.
Satellites have one inherent fault: they provide downlink only. Your satellite radio receiver does exact that, receive.
So what would be the possibilities once your receiver can finally talk back?
Satellites have one inherent fault: they provide downlink only. Your satellite radio receiver does exact that, receive.
So what would be the possibilities once your receiver can finally talk back?
Pretty. Except for 1 very important thing. My wife and I have a NO minivan policy.
Put it in my Expedition, wife's Acadia or whatever my next car/truck/suv will be.
i don't know anyone who would pay for that. perhaps that's the point?
This is awesome!
Ryan - When I drive my car, I don't want to watch TV, I don't want to surf the internet, I don't want to read an iPad. Basically I don't want to crash my car. I just turn on the radio.
Incredibly 95% of the people are just like me. It's about radio.
i think the internet serv is a bit overprized at 29$ bucks a month for a few hours a day in the car (most of wich u will be too busy driving)..
Very cool technology. Would not mind having this.
On the other hand, not overly happy that precious bandwidth is being dedicated to Sirius television while the music channels greatly suffer fromsubpar audio thanks to their low broadcast bitrate.
I'm with you 100% NJRonbo. The sound quality on the music channels sucks. Its especially obvious on many of the rock channels. If Backseat TV is cutting into bandwidth that could improve the sound quality of the music, then it should be dropped immediately.
This is great! Another distracting device in a moving vehicle. I guess women putting on make-up, people talking on their phones, texting, or even taking pictures and videos while driving wasn't enough. Now I have to watch for people surfing porn while driving.
I agree with you about the distractions being worrisome (especially texting), but I don't think there's any vehicle that places the driver in view of an operating entertainment video screen while the vehicle is moving. Any screen in view of the driver is cut off (or restricted to functions such as navigation or backup camera) when the vehicle is in gear.
NJRonbo, Sirius Backseat TV seems to be offering the same three kids' channels it's always had, so there should not be any further erosion in bandwidth available for audio. These other channels are coming through a different service.
"different service". ??? Somebody please explain to me how backseat tv works. I thought that it was on the usual Sirius sats.
SIRIUS Backseat TV is a pioneering service that delivers live TV from three of the best family networks — Nickelodeon,Disney Channel and Cartoon Network, to the video screens of select vehicles equipped with a SIRIUS Backseat TV receiver.
For added flexibility, rear-seat passengers can enjoy SIRIUS Backseat TV while front-seat occupants listen to SIRIUS Satellite Radio.
The system can be operated from either the rear-seat entertainment unit or the radio head unit in the front of the vehicle.
You're correct -- Sirius Backseat TV comes off of the Sirius satellites. But that's only three channels, as it has been since it was introduced a few years ago. The vehicle featured in this article also has FLO TV, which is a mobile broadband-like service that uses frequencies freed up by the demise of analog TV.
You are correct, but only if you are the only one in the van. Most times, families buy these because they want entertainment for the other people in the van. My buddies and I just drove 6 hours in this playing play station. We were able to switch off every couple hours and it made for a very easy drive. I love all these additions to the minivan.