3G Network is Coming to an End – and Your Car Might Stop Working

Once rightfully hailed as a breakthrough technology, 3G network services are reaching about 20 years of widespread use here in the United States.  It’s hard to fully appreciate now, but 3G revolutionized consumers’ ability to quickly access the internet from connected devices such as cell phones and tablets.  As 4G and 5G networks have become the new norm, 3G has become obsolete and mobile data providers have begun to shut down their 3G networks.  By the end of 2022, all or almost all US carriers will have shut down their 3G service.

This network shutdown is going to have a huge impact on connected motor vehicle services, many of which involve important safety features.  Since at least the mid-2010s, auto manufacturers have relied on 3G data to transmit everything from maps, weather forecasts, automatic crash notifications, roadside assistance request services, and more.  In many cases, there is no fix that can be performed and the service will simply stop working forever.

The service loss is mitigated somewhat by the widespread availability of similar features (maps, weather, and so on) on modern cellphones.  Unfortunately, however, cellphones are a major cause of distracted driving and cannot truly and safely function as a replacement to some in-vehicle infotainment and safety systems.