"The .Car Era Officially Starts Today, but is it the Beginning of an Error?" Edmunds Daily

The .Car Era Officially Starts Today, but is it the Beginning of an Error?

Starting today,Chrysler will offer its UConnect Web in-car Internet service as a dealer-installed option. While it's an inevitable step towards staying connected even while traveling at highway speeds, some view it as just another distraction for drivers and an accident waiting to happen. In an editorial in The New York Times over the weekend, professor Randall Stross warned that Internet connectivity in the car is a "bad idea," and cites studies showing drivers are four times more likely to be involved in a serious crash while talking on the phone -- hands-free or not.

Although Chrysler touts UConnect Web as "tailored for kids in the backseat" so that tykes can play Webkinz and teens can check in with Facebook friends, and a warning screen initially appears warning against using the system while driving, there are no restrictions on front-seat viewing as with OEM and aftermarket video systems. So a driver could conceivably surf the Web or check email while behind the wheel, or a front-seat passenger could watch videos on YouTube in view of the driver. This, Stross contends, is a recipe for disaster, and he has The AAA Foundation for Highway Safety and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety backing up his case.

But rather than safety concerns, demand and pricing may do more to initially stifle the growth of in-car Internet access.

Customers aren't exactly clamoring for Web access in the car and it's "pretty much at the end of priorities for consumers," Thilo Kowslowski, an analyst with the research firm Gartner, recently told Wired.com. Koslowski said automakers like Chrysler and BMW are "leapfrogging" consumer demand with in-car Internet access and should instead focus on integrating smart phones and PDAs -- many of which already allow Internet access -- with a vehicle so that the devices are safer to use behind the wheel, as with Ford's successful Sync system.

Such duplication of service and the price may be the biggest roadblocks for UConnect Web. The dealer-installed option cost $500 for a router, $35 to $50 for installation, $35 for activation and $29 a month for a subscription.

And in these tough economic times, UConnect Web will have a tough time connecting with cash-strapped consumers.