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AT&T has announced an extension to its exclusive connected car agreement with BMW. The agreement, in place since 2008, has seen AT&T back BMW's ConnectedDrive services and apps. However, the scope of the new agreement will now also include “infotainment” features such as a Wi-Fi hot spot.

The new agreement will see customers, of the all-new BMW 7 Series, being presented with an alternative of a Wi-Fi hot spot running on AT&T's 4G LTE network. A smartphone or tablet can be used to access the Wi-Fi hot spot that is connected to the company’s new Wi-Fi portal, backed by Ericsson. Users can utilise the portal to gain a free Wi-Fi hot spot trial, purchase a data session for their vehicle and manage their Wi-Fi account.

Another offering, AT&T Mobile Share Value, allows customers to share data across phones, tablets and vehicles at a price of $10 per month. As a result, car owners benefit from flexibility; they can utilise a standalone data plan or the Mobile Share option.

Chris Penrose, senior vice president Internet of Things at AT&T Mobility, said: “The new Wi-Fi hot spot lets you connect up to 8 devices at a time and allows passengers to access their favourite apps, play games and surf the net at fast 4G LTE speeds.”

A recent study by AT&T and Ericsson revealed that 75% of consumers place a high priority on connected car services as regards their next car purchase. In 2014, AT&T launched AT&T Drive Studio and AT&T Drive in order to boost innovation in the connected car market.