Avis rolls out in-car WiFi service

Avis announced today that it's begun the roll-out of its Autonet Mobile-based in-car WiFi service, now officially dubbed Avis Connect, with those paying a visit to the San Francisco International Airport able to drive off the lot with the added distraction starting today. They'll have to pay a somewhat hefty $10.95 a day (for unlimited usage) on top of the normal rental fee for the service, however, which makes use of either an EV-DO or HSDPA network (Avis isn't specifying exactly which carrier its using). San Jose, Los Angeles, and Newark, N.J. are apparently next in line, set to get the service in the coming weeks, with Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York, San Diego and Seattle on tap for the third quarter of this year. No word if you'll get a discount if you opt for both the in-car WiFi and the built-in DirecTV.

[Via Physorg/AP]

[LRawlins Posted May 21st 2007 2:55PM]

When is a manufacturer going to mount a headunit onto an external HDD with secured Wifi and drop it in the cars audio bay?

I'd like to hook up my cars AV needs from my notebook in the comfort of my home. No more CD's. No more wires. No more hassle. Ever...

Is that such a crazy concept?!

[(Unverified) Posted May 21st 2007 3:28PM]

$11 hefty? Pft, that's a steal when you compare the cost for hotel internets!! Though, whats the REAL point when the average user who needs this probably already has HSDPA or EVDO

[(Unverified) Posted May 21st 2007 4:06PM]

Anyone out there know what options are available to use one of the USB Sprint EV-DO adapters with a home network? Like say plug the laptop adapter into some kind of 802.11x access point and just use that for your home internet connection? (Or Rental car perhaps.)

Sign me up for that head unit, btw. After 16 hours in the car this weekend that would have been a Godsend.

[(Unverified) Posted May 21st 2007 4:42PM]

I get unlimited HSDPA in the UK for £12.50 (approx $20) monthly, T-Mobile webnwalk plus rulez!

[(Unverified) Posted May 21st 2007 4:23PM]

$11 is a steal if you're at a hotel that charges for access. Plus, this access travel with you. Nice call, Avis.

[LRawlins Posted May 21st 2007 4:32PM]

I know, your entire catalog on 120gb+ drives. Hell, if you're even so fortunate as to have LCD's in the headrests, they could then display the video content you've put on the drive.

NAS with a chassis. I could even backup my work, to my car... at work.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 5th 2007 8:12PM]

This seems pretty cool. Anyone to get to trial this yet?