While lawmakers are passing stricter regulations on mobile phone usage in cars, OnStar seems to be bucking that trend. At CES they’ll be showing off a new in-car 4G infotainment system that will stream video content and allow for video calls.
The new system is being rigged up in one of the company’s Chevy Volt research vehicles, and before you cry foul over the prospect of drivers being further distracted by a video call, GM claims that functionality can only be used when the vehicle is in park.
The service is presumed to rely on a dedicated 4G modem in the car, not a wireless tether to a smartphone. There’s no word on what pricing or who the carrier partner will be, but since previous streaming demos relied on Verizon, there’s a good chance they’ll get the nod. And while the front seat passengers will be privy to enhanced information like traffic and weather, the back seat riders get to enjoy on-demand video streaming through a pair of tablets wired into the vehicle. Unlike air travel, hopefully that means more than just reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond. [MotorAuthority via Slashdot]