Gary Krakow
We are rapidly approaching the next frontier for the Internet: your automobile.
It's not bad enough that people continuously talk on their cell phones -- despite the fact that if they're caught (at least in this area) that they'll face a hefty fine. Now, according to a story in today's Los Angeles Times, struggling No. 3 U.S. automaker Chrysler is planning to announce tomorrow that it will begin offering wireless Internet access inside your car in their 2009 models. The in-car, wireless hotspot will be called UConnect Web and would be the first such technology from any automaker. According to the report, Scott Slagle, Chrysler's senior manager of global marketing strategy, says, "It's a notion of always wanting to be connected wherever you are." Slagle reportedly has been testing the technology, allowing his daughters to surf the Web from the back seat. I'm not worried about people in the back seat Googling to their hearts' content. It's the people in the front seat who worry me. Especially, the driver of the car. The example given in the L.A. Times story is that it will be great to be able to "check your e-mail, shop for a book on Amazon, place some bids on eBay and ... download a little porn" while you're stuck in bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic on the freeway. Are you kidding me? Drivers will be able to be distracted by doing their thing on the Web while we're stuck behind them? Is there anyone other than Chrysler officials who thinks this is a good idea? I understand why you might want to connect a Nintendo Wii or even Apple(AAPL Quote - Cramer on AAPL - Stock Picks) iPhone or Research In Motion(RIMM Quote - Cramer on RIMM - Stock Picks) Blackberry via a super-fast Wi-Fi connection. But mobile Web browsing? It's a recipe for disaster.
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