Vendors Offer In-Car Navigation System For Mobile WiMaxVendors Offer In-Car Navigation System For Mobile WiMax

The system from OKI Electric Industry Co., Alpine Electronics, and Runcom Technologies can send road maps, nearby attractions, and other location-based applications to motorists.

W. David Gardner, Contributor

January 8, 2008

1 Min Read
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Three companies have teamed up to offer an in-car system for use with Mobile WiMax technologies, according to an announcement at this week's International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Offered by OKI Electric Industry Co., Alpine Electronics, and Runcom Technologies, the in-car navigation system utilizes embedded broadband wireless communications capabilities.

The system can be used to send information of interest to motorists including road maps, nearby attractions and events in addition to other location-based applications. For instance, car maintenance status and failures could be transmitted to law enforcement and road service personnel.

Each company brings special expertise to the system. Electrical equipment manufacturer OKI will provide compact-flash cards and other components while Alpine is providing mobile multimedia components. Runcom contributed its OFDMA technologies and mobile WiMax ASICs to the joint project.

Intel, which pioneered WiMax technology, has predicted that 2008 will be the year when mobile WiMax begins to take off. Early adoption of the mobile broadband technology has begun in some scattered international locations. Clearwire and Sprint have each made substantial investments in mobile WiMax in the U.S., although their early partnership has broken up.

One small California ISP -- Razzolink -- has rolled out a mobile WiMax network in the Salinas Valley and the service has been successfully tested in moving vehicles there.

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