The shutdown of 3G wireless networks, planned in 2022 by all major U.S. carriers, could have disastrous effects on the automotive industry for cars produced in 2021 or earlier. The phasing-out of older networks, which has been in the works for some time, led to the demise of legacy devices like BlackBerry smartphones. Since all cellular network providers are racing to add more 5G coverage nationwide, part of the plan is to retire older networks to clear bandwidth for new ones. As the FCC continues to auction off cellular towers and bandwidth, previously used exclusively for federal and military purposes, the demand for bandwidth will only grow stronger.
Cars purchased in the last decade have some sort of processor built inside, controlling as little as the media controls or as much as navigation. This started to affect consumer habits in 2020, when the chip shortage began, leading to significant efforts for recourse. Many consumers at the time did not understand that the same chips found in phones and computers also powered critical functions in their vehicles. In a flash, cars were selling for tens of thousands of dollars above MSRPs, which made the public increasingly aware of microchips in their vehicles. Now, with the planned 3G network shutdown, drivers are about to find out just how it could affect features integral to their car.
According to The Drive, the planned shutdown of 3G could affect cars from 2010-21, effectively destroying a wide array of functions drivers rely on. For example, drivers have become dependent on built-in navigation, emergency services, and remote lock/unlock services, which will become non-functional after the shutdown. Though the conversation around the 3G shutdown has mostly been accepted, cars' dependency on the technology creates problems since most legacy 3G devices have been out of service for years. Features that were once described as selling points of cars produced just a year ago will no longer be available to customers that have already purchased their vehicles. In recent years, the automotive industry has been quick to remove car features, but these feature discontinuations were not, and are not, conveyed to the average customer.
All affected vehicles will lose cellular connectivity by the end of 2022, but some car owners have more time than others. Honda, Nissan and Volvo rely on the AT&T wireless network, which is shutting down in just a few weeks, in Feb. 2022. Verizon's network changes are a bit more fluid: the company says the shutdown will occur no later than Dec. 2022 but has not specified a start or end date for the shutdown. T-Mobile, now the largest 5G carrier in the U.S., will end its 3G support sometime between March and July 2022.
It's not just a few carmakers affected by the 3G shutdown. It's practically all of them. Acura, Audi, Bentley, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Lexus, Nissan, Porsche, Stellantis, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo have all acknowledged that some of their models will lose features by the end of the year. Each of the automakers has its own plan to combat the change. Some, like Toyota and Lexus, plan to do nothing to help their customers regain features they paid for. Others, like Acura, Audi and Volvo, have started programs to upgrade affected cars to 4G or 5G through their dealership network, presumably free of charge. Tesla is offering the same upgrade for an additional fee. But in the face of a disastrous situation — albeit one car manufacturer themselves had little control over — many appear to be coming up short in providing solutions to the missing features that will soon plague cars of the last decade.
To find out exactly what models are affected, head to the car manufacturer's website or call a dealership for more information.
Source: The Drive
