GM were the first to offer commercially available connected cars with the introduction of OnStar in 1996 – presenting it as a major advance in safety. This service tied together voice and data communication over the analog cellular network with a vehicle’s on-board computers and GPS to assist you in an emergency, track a stolen vehicle and perform certain vehicle functions remotely, such as unlocking doors.
BMW took things a step further towards digital communication by offering the first option of an internet connected car in 2001. This provided tailored access to BMW’s online portal via in-dash display but you still couldn’t check your email. Moving forward to 2008, they would expand their technology to rectify this, allowing unlimited access to the internet via their updated iDrive system.
