Autonet Mobile
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telematics, Automotive software |
| Founded | January 1, 2005 |
| Founder | Sterling Pratz, Doug Moeller |
| Headquarters | Santa Rosa, California , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | 4G telematics devices, mobile routers, automotive marketing software |
Autonet Mobile was a company headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, specializing in 4G telematics devices for vehicles and marketing software tailored to automotive dealerships and aftermarket service providers. It maintained original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partnerships with brands such as General Motors, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Subaru, and Volkswagen. By early 2011, the company had amassed nearly 10,000 users across the United States. As of 2009, its routers were predominantly factory-installed units that required activation, although they were also accessible through aftermarket channels including dealerships, retail outlets, and online vendors like Amazon.com.
History
Established in 2005 by Sterling Pratz and Doug Moeller in Sonoma County, California, Autonet Mobile created a mobile router designed to connect with 3G cellular networks, enabling the creation of mobile Wi-Fi hotspots. The company initiated its services in 2007 and showcased its technology at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show. In the first quarter of 2009, Autonet Mobile experienced a 221% increase in sales. That same year, General Motors and Subaru began offering Autonet Mobile devices as dealer-installed options. By 2012, Mercedes and Chevrolet Silverado models had integrated this technology as well. Additionally, Autonet Mobile collaborated with Robert Bosch GmbH to produce embedded telematics units that interfaced directly with vehicles' CAN bus systems.
Other uses
Autonet Mobile’s Wi-Fi equipment was installed in school buses throughout Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, and Washington, D.C., leading to the establishment of internal content filtering systems. In 2011, the Southside EMS department in Chatham County, Georgia outfitted 35 ambulances with Autonet Mobile Wi-Fi routers, facilitating EMS personnel to submit trip reports and transmit EKG data to hospitals instantaneously.