Tesla partners with Telefónica and KPN on M2M connectivity in Europe

Electric car manufacturer Tesla has announced M2M agreements with European operator groups Telefónica and KPN. The deal sees the operator provide in-car connectivity for Tesla’s Model S across several European nations.

Telefónica’s global M2M platform is powered by Jasper Wireless, which recently won a Telecoms.com 2014 Award for the Progress in Machine to Machine Communications category. Using the Jasper solution, Telefónica will enable services for Tesla drivers including navigation, online music, and internet browsing, and remote vehicle diagnostics.

In Germany and the United Kingdom broadband connectivity to Tesla drivers will be powered by Telefonica’s O2 networks, in Spain on Movistar, and in the Netherlands and Belgium Tesla will use KPN’s network. KPN is a partner of Telefónica as part of the M2M World Alliance, an alliance formed by operators using Jasper’s platform. Telefónica said that its ability to work with KPN in Europe will improve customer experience by using a common M2M offering.

“As we accelerate our transformation into a digital telco we see lots of opportunities to empower consumers,” said Jose Luis Gamo, CEO at Telefonica Multinational Solutions.

“Connected cars that provide drivers with more information and a better and safer driving experience is a perfect example of this. Tesla is one of the world’s most forward thinking and exciting businesses. We share their passion for innovation and are thrilled to be working with them to deliver a superb connected in-car experience to Tesla drivers across Europe.”

It is possible that the scope of the M2M agreement could be extended significantly in the coming years. Over the past six months, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk has gone on record in press interviews and on Twitter to outline the firm’s plans to make autonomous, self-driving Tesla models within three years, which would rely heavily on M2M connectivity.

Macario Namie, VP marketing at Jasper said that the firm’s platform is already able to provide the scale of M2M connectivity required to support self-driving cars.

The Broadband World Forum is taking place on the 21st – 23rd October 2014 at the RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre, Amsterdam. Click here to download a brochure for the event.

“Many auto makers, from Tesla to Nissan to Ford, have committed to some form of autonomous driving,” he said. “At Jasper, we are fully ready to support these initiatives, which not only can deliver convenience, but also offer tremendous safety opportunities.”

Tesla Motors was founded in 2003 by a group of Silicon Valley engineers. The firm opened its first European store in 2009 and now has 24 stores across the region. The Model S is Tesla’s luxury sedan electric vehicle.

There has been a swathe of operator-led connected car announcements in 2014 so far. Last month, AT&T announced plans to develop an in-vehicle video service as part of its connected car offering. A few days prior, iPhone maker Apple announced the upcoming launch of Apple CarPlay, which will be available on select new cars in 2014. The firm claims it will be a smarter and safer way for consumers to use their iPhone in the car.

In February, it came to light that the United States could soon make M2M connectivity in new vehicles mandatory, following research undertaken by the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). And at Mobile World Congress 2014, automaker Ford rolled out an updated version of its Focus model, showcasing advanced drive assist and mobile connectivity features. In the first week of the year, leading tech firms teamed up with automotive manufacturers to create an industry alliance aimed at bringing the Android platform to connected cars. Audi, GM, Honda, Hyundai and Nvidia joined Google to form the Open Automotive Alliance (OAA).