Le Web often serves as a platform for Europe’s biggest startups and tech giants to announce big news. At this year’s edition, Renault and Orange announced a new partnership to examine how 4G/LTE connectivity will revolutionize the automobiles of the future. Obviously, the connected car will be a game changer for both the auto and telco sectors, which will firmly shift their business focus towards user experience and connectivity.
As a first step of their collaboration, Orange rolled out their 4G effort in advance at Renault’s research and testing facilities, with an aim to identify new uses, applications and situations it can be deployed. Various sectors outside of what one would instinctively associate with the auto industry are being examined, including everything from the virtual office to cloud gaming to video conferencing.
Their joint-initiative is being debuted at Le Web with an initial test on their NEXT TWO prototype based on the Renault ZOE. Rémi Bastien, Head of Engineering Innovation at Renault, stressed that the initiative and smart connectivity more generally is bringing together more than ever before their two very different businesses stating:
“This partnership is an example of an effective working relationship between two very different worlds. We were able to benefit ahead of time from a high-speed LTE network and from Orange’s expertise, with an opportunity to take advantage of the network for our prototype of the connected vehicle of the future.”
Orange has long been a proponent of the connected lifestyle, putting connectivity everywhere at the heart of their strategy with their Smart Cities Program. With this new collaboration with Renault, Orange continues to build on their already well established partnership. One example of one of their most successful collaborations thus far with Renault is the award-winning R-Link, which provides customers with an integrated and connected multimedia, in-vehicle touch tablet. To power R-Link, Renault relies on the connectivity and know-how of Orange Business Services, which supplies the SIM M2M cards used in R-Link-equipped cars.