GM is offering an unlimited data option for car owners (GM)

Customers with OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspots — powered by AT&T — can access the unlimited prepaid data option for $20 per month, according to the announcement. Connected cars, which are a hot topic currently, took center stage on day two of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last week.

The move to offer unlimited data could incentivize increased usage of in-car Wi-Fi hotspots, which are often cost prohibitive. While the cost of in-car data usage is decreasing, falling from $500 for 30GB in 2014 to $40 for 10GB, these are costs that come on top of the monthly costs of smartphone data bills.

And considering that in-car data consumption is growing rapidly, providing consumers with an unlimited option could be an appealing option. In 2016, around 4 million GB of data were consumed by Chevrolet owners alone, according to parent company GM. That’s up 200% from the in-car data consumed in 2015.

The connected car will be the next battle ground for telecoms and media groups. In 2015, the average urban US commuter wasted about 42 hours per year in traffic jams, according to a report by the Texas Transportation Institute. This figure was much higher in gridlocked metropolises like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Washington, DC fared worst of all, with commuters there wasting 82 hours per year in traffic.

This means people are spending more time with their eyes on the road rather than their mobile devices or in-car entertainment systems. The increasing autonomy of cars means this will eventually change, and soon, the car will be another "mobile" platform for entertainment.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

Self-driving cars are coming; there will be fully autonomous cars on the roads in the US in 2018, and adoption will just take off from there.
The technology is developing swiftly to allow fully self-driving vehicles, while the regulatory environment is adapting to the anticipated changes that this new technology will bring.
We conducted a survey asking our exclusive BI Insiders panel about their thoughts on self-driving cars, the future of the automotive industry, and the impact autonomous vehicles will have on their purchasing habits moving forward. The results provide a picture of consumer sentiment at the precipice of the autonomous era.

Sizes the current and future self-driving car market, forecasting shipments and projecting installed base.
Explains the current state of technology, regulation, and consumer perception.
Analyzes how the development of autonomous cars will impact employment and the economy.