How 3G Can Affect Your Car
3G cars will soon be obsolete, thanks to a massive crackdown on the network by major mobile carriers in the U.S.
Written by Serena Aburahma
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
The 3G network sparked a new era of fast connectivity, improved browsing experience, and was the hottest network after Verizon first launched it in 2002. Today,
modern technology
that helped usher in the smartphone era can't compete with 5G and the soon-to-be-released 6G. It especially makes us feel old, but the effect is more profound on
classic cars
, which rely heavily on the network. While it's clear the collapse of 3G is one of the most undercovered stories, with the broadest impacts involving millions of cars, sudden changes are inevitable. At the same time, responses from carmakers have been slow and confusing. But we all agree that most top car companies are shrugging off the new developments.
So how does 3G affect cars and which models will become obsolete?
Car owners to carry the heaviest burden after transitioning to 3G
Most U.S. mobile carriers plan to phase out 3G no later than December this year. According to
KOMANDO
, AT&T will shut down the 3G network sometime during February. Consequentially, this will affect millions of Ford, Acura, and Honda vehicles together with over 182.6 million subscribers. The article continues stating that T-Mobile will shut down Sprint and T-mobile 3G networks by the end of March. It will significantly impact 104 million-plus subscribers relying on the services.
Toyota, Lexus, and other Verizon-aligned manufacturers have more time to develop 4G compatible software for their cars as the company plans to pull the 3G plug before December.
Most cars manufactured in the smartphone era, being the heaviest consumers of 3G, will lose key operation features if the scrap out is successful.
A 3G reliant car with the "SOS" system can no longer use it to communicate with emergency services in case of an accident. The "SOS" key is usually located near the rearview mirror and has three predefined messages to send to predefined contacts.
3G cars will no longer access the remote lock and unlock services, voice assistants, live traffic updates, GPS services, and smartphone connectivity. This is a hefty blow to drivers because some of these services, like GPS navigation, are essential.
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How 3G affects cars: which models will be hit hard?
The nationwide crackdown on 3G will affect a range of vehicles, from ‘90s Ford trucks to the 2021 Honda Elite.
According to
CNBC
news, the latest Honda Pilot's Touring and Black Edition manufactured between 2019 and 2022 will lose some comfort features like its Wi-Fi hotspot. These Japanese cars will require software updates which, fortunately, the company is offering. The Porsche 718, a couple of Nissan models, including the Altima and Sentra, require immediate software updates. Porsche is already preparing for a new technology upgrade, but Nissan drivers are still waiting to hear from the company.
The Subaru Legacy, Impreza, and Forester, manufactured between 2016 and 2018, won't speed to victory with their current systems. However, complementary software updates are available to Subaru's Starlink Safety Plus subscribers.
Tesla, the global benchmark for advanced cars, wasn't spared either. Tesla Model S high-end sedans produced before 2015 will lose network connectivity before summer. However, through its dealers, the company is offering updates for $200.
How will 3G affect your car, and what can you do?
Driving a car while some features are down is annoying and uncomfortable, but the experience will vary depending on the model. Contact your car's manufacturer to determine if it has software and hardware upgrades compatible with the latest networks.
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The new developments may have left a lot of questions crisscrossing through your mind. But thankfully, unlike car software updates, car insurance can be made easier.
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