But don't most people that can afford this already have unlimited (or close to it) data direct from the phone?
Or is the data connection used by the car in some other way?
[1] http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2468927,00.asp
"Verizon Enables Simultaneous Voice and Data for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus", September 2014
Sprint still drops data connections during voice calls.
Not sure where you got that idea, the article didn't even mention phones.
My thought would be more towards using the car's wifi for iPads and laptops. Makes total sense when I look at how my nieces and nephews use technology. They're obsessed with iPads, and thats the primary way they consume media.
Also, up until recently, one of the most expensive phone plans you could get (Verizon) didn't even offer unlimited data, and the rates are only 1/4th the price of my car lease. Even without kids, $20/mo for data usage in my car would actually make it so I could downgrade my plan and save money (lots of podcasts on my drive in to work).
With an in-car hotspot, my kids could bring their tablets with them and stream movies, even when I'm not in the car to set up a hotspot on my phone.
I'd also think this would be a big hit for road warriors - the kind of people who live out of their car, and today tend to post up at Starbucks in between meetings to grab some free WiFi. Now, they can just sit in their comfy cars with their favorite music, use the car's hands-free for calls, and work from their laptops.
(Incidentally, one of the things I love about EV's and hybrids is the ability to leave the climate control and entertainment on when parked indefinitely without having to run the engine)
But $20/month for unlimited data in my car? That would be worth it just for the 3-4 road trips I take each year. My kid could sit in the back watching numberphile videos the whole time? Yes plz.
They probably will be collecting diagnostic data like Tesla does and it'll be written in the fine print. That is likely the real reason for the 4G modem installed in the car and the rest is just PR spin to encourage people to buy the always-connected vehicles. I fully expect this "free feature" to be paid for by these cars recording which parking lots you visit for Big Box store analytics as well as LEO per-request-fees.
They probably have some navigation stuff, radio, etc. built into the car that would use it as well for the dashboard.
The $20 a month, I suspect, covers Chevrolet's network costs so they can be paid on both ends.
Also, this way you can add another middle man that makes money data-mining your browsing habits.
They pay for it in a monthly rolled up price, and at the end of their contract they own the device outright, obviously with all caveats surrounding leasing any asset.
You can't sensibly pay for a recurring expense on credit.