Autonet Mobile is a Santa Rosa, California based company that makes wireless routers for use in moving vehicles. The company holds several original equipment manufacturer agreements with the automotive manufacturers General Motors, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Subaru, and Volkswagen. In early 2011, it was estimated that there were 10,000 Autonet Mobile users in the United States. As of 2012, the Autonet Mobile routers are primarily available as a factory installed product that requires activation, although they are also available as an aftermarket product through auto dealerships and retailers as well as online retailers like Amazon.com.
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History
Autonet Mobile was founded in 2005 by Sterling Pratz and Doug Moeller in Sonoma County, California. The company developed a mobile router that taps into third-generation telecommunications networks to effectively generate a mobile wireless hotspot. Autonet Mobile launched its services in 2007 by securing a deal with Avis Rent a Car System that would make their devices available for rental cars in 10 cities with a coverage rate of 95% on most U.S. roadways. Autonet Mobile presented at the International Consumer Electronics show in 2008 and by 2009 had reported a sales increase of 221% in the first quarter. General Motors and Subaru began offering the Autonet Mobile service as a dealer-installed option in 2009 with Mercedes and the Chevrolet Silverado adopting the Wi-Fi device as of 2012. The company has recently partnered with Robert Bosch GmbH to manufacture an embedded telematics control unit. The automotive-grade device will interface with a vehicle's CAN bus to assist in the development of vehicle related apps.
Other uses
Autonet Mobile's Wi-Fi devices have been sold to counties in Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, and Washington, D.C. for use in school busses, which prompted the development of internal content filters. In 2011, the Southside EMS department in Chatham County, Georgia equipped 35 ambulances with the Autonet Mobile Wi-Fi routers, allowing EMS technicians to file trip reports and share EKG information with hospitals while en route.