GM, AT&T partner to equip vehicles with 5G capability

Detroit — General Motors Co. and AT&T plan to bring 5G connectivity to millions of the automaker's vehicles in the U.S. over the next decade. 

The companies are working together on a 5G network to deliver enhancements to roadway coverage, music and video downloading, over-the-air software updates and navigation systems. 

The 5G connectivity offering will be available first on select model year 2024 vehicles, GM said. The current 4G LTE-equipped model year 2019 and newer vehicles will also be able to experience faster connection through over-the-air upgrades available through GM's fifth-generation network. 

The improvements are part of the foundation to GM's over-the-air update strategy, which is central to its growth plan. 

The Detroit automaker and AT&T have collaborated over the last two years, testing connecting vehicles to reach the goal of having the largest fleet of 5G vehicles. 

"Together with AT&T, we've brought unprecedented experiences to the daily commute, family road trips and everything in between," said Santiago Chamorro, GM vice president of global connected services. 

GM says it will also provide its strategic partners access to connect over AT&T's 5G network for "interoperability and scale necessary to deliver future mobility services, such as e-commerce, smart city and vehicle-to-electric grid."

khall@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @bykaleahall