Telstra has agreed to provide mobile network connectivity for the Model S car of Tesla Motors in order to enhance the vehicle's features, which require remote M2M contact, such as remote diagnostics systems and infotainment.
John Chambers, Telstra Mobile's executive director, added that the company's mobile system would also allow owners of Model S to take advantage of a unique app that would remotely manipulate the features of their vehicles.
The Tesla S is said to have included a 17-inch touch screen in its vehicle. The device is capable of producing data on a number of services, such as real-time traffic updates and mapping. The exclusive carrier of the data is no less than the mobile network of Telstra.
"Our network will enable Tesla Model S owners to access live information via the Model S' giant 17-inch touchscreen that controls everything from the suspension to the climate control, through to the sun roof," said Chambers.
By using the Telstra network, vehicle owners can stream music, get almost real-time traffic updates and view maps and navigation that are highly detailed.
Telstra added that Model S owners could use a unique app in their vehicle which, when powered by the company's mobile network, could allow remote manipulation of the vehicle's features. Through the Tesla app, vehicle owners could keep track of the car's charging progress, turn on the air-conditioning system on a remote manipulation and unlock the car doors even without a key.
Apart from providing owners with near real-time data on their vehicles, Telstra has also designed the car's remote engine diagnostics system to deliver information on the car's performance to the maintenance staff of Tesla. Should an owner begin to suspect that the car is having issues, the remote diagnosis system will help Tesla determine the car's real condition and eventually come up with a solution, all done without directly accessing the car.
Earlier this month, Tesla Motors launched its first Australian showroom in Sydney's St Leonards and confirmed the locations of the company's first pair of supercharging stations in the city. The company's first batch of Model S vehicles started to arrive in Australia on Dec. 10.
"Increasingly, technology is becoming top of mind for Australians choosing new cars, and by 2025, we expect 90 percent of new vehicles sold in Australia will come ready to connect to a mobile network," added Chambers.
