Mexican Media Brands
Toyota Partners with Kymeta on In-Vehicle Satellite Antenna Technology
Toyota Motor Corp. is investing $5 million in Redmond, Wash.-based Kymeta Corp. and signed an exclusive agreement to develop and test the startup company’s flat satellite antenna technology for automotive applications.
Share
Toyota Motor Corp. is investing $5 million in Redmond, Wash.-based Kymeta Corp. and has signed an exclusive agreement to develop and test the startup company’s flat satellite antenna technology for automotive applications.
Toyota’s investment is part of Kymeta’s latest $62 million fundraising campaign. The carmaker, which has been conducting joint research with Kymeta for more than two years, has fitted a prototype of the technology on a new research vehicle based on its Mirai fuel-cell car.
Flat antennas allow for increased data transmission and broader coverage areas without having to install traditional bulky satellite receivers, according to the partners. The technology promises to help drive next-generation telematic systems, including streaming movies and games, over-the-air software updates and data sharing with other vehicles and the infrastructure.
In the Mirai, the 6-inch-wide liquid-crystal antennas are installed in the car’s glass roof. The prototype communication system can download satellite data at 50 megabits per second, which is faster than typical LTE wireless services. Transmission speed is expected to be more than one gigabit-per-second within a few years, Kymeta says.
RELATED CONTENT
-
On Automotive: An All Electric Edition
A look at electric vehicle-related developments, from new products to recycling old batteries.
-
We Can’t Unwatch this McLaren
While we generally can’t say enough (which brings us close to saying much, much too much) about McLaren Automotive design and its exquisite use of materials, this week the company launched a product that is something we wish we didn’t see: That’s the RM 11-03 McLaren Automatic Flyback Chronograph, which the company debuted at the 88th Geneva International Motor Show.
-
When Automated Production Turning is the Low-Cost Option
For the right parts, or families of parts, an automated CNC turning cell is simply the least expensive way to produce high-quality parts. Here’s why.
