Moving vehicles will never be safe and secure until they can get closer to universal connectivity. By universal connectivity I mean ubiquitous connectivity with unlimited bandwidth.
Ubiquitous connectivity is necessary both for automatic crash response beyond the coverage of cellular networks and for cybersecurity attack detection and prevention. Without a connection that the vehicle operator can rely on there is no way to anticipate cyber attacks and, more importantly, without a software update path, no way to prevent them.
The only technology that comes close to delivering this level of connectivity is satellite. Satellite technology is prohibitively expensive from a transmission and a reception standpoint. But for the customer for whom price is no object Kymeta has a solution.
Kymeta is putting the first market transforming price/performance stake in the ground this week with its announced plans to work with Aurum Security to bring Kymeta mTenna high-throughput satellite connectivity to VIP and civilian armored vehicles (CAVs). CAV manufacturers and integrators will be able to deliver global connectivity, on the go, that their customers demand, without impacting the natural design lines of the vehicle.
Kymeta is targeting the 38,000 civilian armored VIP vehicles manufactured annually. Kymeta’s longer term goal is to pursue the larger mass passenger vehicle market in partnership with IntelSat. This initial market step will set the stage for broader deployment in coming years.
In essence, Kymeta’s technology will make the satellite antenna more or less invisible meaning anyone from VIPs, to government officials, to royalty, will have access to high bandwidth connectivity wherever they go that is secure, reliable and inobtrusive – even in remote places – the company says. Connectivity like this comes at a price – and that price is $39,500.
