Over the years, it seems like America’s focus on the antenna has gotten smaller and smaller — literally. When’s the last time you saw a prominent antenna sticking up awkwardly on a car? Manufacturers have been working to reduce radio antenna sizes since the Earnhardt era. Cell phones also ditched the antenna long ago. Yet if you thought these devices were obsolete, think again.
Harman has made it their mission to speed us into the future with their new all-in-one antenna set to roll out in 2021.
Harman’s new auto antenna utilizes 5G capabilities, combining a number of popular features into one device. This new device enables remote keyless entry, Wi-Fi, electronic toll collection capabilities, and of course, satellite radio.
The capabilities of this multiband conformal antenna would normally take over 18 different antennae to provide the streaming and communication that Harman provides.
In an effort to prevent your car from looking like a porcupine, this compact all-in-one antenna can be mounted beneath the body panels of the vehicle, giving the owner more options when it comes to choosing the design of their vehicle, and providing more outlets for creativity in designers.
This is great news for the auto body industry: their net worth is estimated at a whopping $42 billion and this sort of antenna will likely make for more streamlined designs in the future.
Harman is working with multiple automakers to test the functionality of the antenna’s design.
“We’re currently evaluating the antennas with several premium car makers to validate the design for each specific vehicle and expect to see the conformal antennas available for model year 2021 vehicles,” said Harman’s Vice President Vishnu Sundaram.
Reportedly, drivers and passengers in these cars will experience content streaming and personalization at high speeds with the help of the new antenna. The 5G bandwidth dwarfs the previously seen 4G LTE hotspots available on other cars.
As automakers continuously seek to improve the driving experience, drivers will likely keep getting shiny new toys with their new car or lease.
Unfortunately, drivers will have to wait three more years until we get access to this new technology.
