TL;DR
Get garage and car supplies delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Omdia analyst John Canali warns that mobile carriers could begin decommissioning LTE networks from 2030, potentially leaving some 4G-dependent vehicle services unable to connect. The scale and effects are not yet known, and the source does not say that cars themselves will stop driving; a 4G modem also cannot be made 5G-compatible through a software update.
Mobile operators could begin decommissioning 4G LTE networks as early as 2030, raising the risk that some connected-car services will lose network access, according to an Omdia analyst cited in a report by The Drive. The concern is that cars with 4G-only modems may not be able to use those services once compatible networks are no longer available; the warning is about connected functions, not proof that affected cars will stop running.
Omdia principal IoT analyst John Canali said automakers face a potential mismatch: vehicles are becoming more dependent on connectivity while adoption of 5G in cars has been slow. The Drive report says connected cars use mobile links for functions such as diagnostics, tracking, remote services and infotainment. What happens to each feature after a network retirement would depend on the vehicle and how that feature is designed.
The hardware presents a limit that a software update cannot necessarily solve. A 4G modem cannot connect to a 5G-only network, and firmware cannot turn a 4G radio into 5G hardware. If a service requires a live mobile connection and no compatible network remains, that service could become unavailable. The report does not establish that basic driving controls or all vehicle functions rely on LTE.
The report puts the issue in the context of a previous network change: the 2022 shutdown of 3G, which it says ended connected features for millions of cars. It warns that a future LTE retirement could affect more vehicles and services, but does not provide a specific count of cars that would lose functions or identify which models would be affected.
Connected Features Could Lose Coverage
For drivers, the consequences could range from losing remote app access or connected infotainment to disruption of other services that rely on an active mobile connection. The exact effect would vary by model, service and network arrangements; the available information does not show that a loss of LTE would make a car mechanically undriveable.
The issue could also affect the value and usefulness of used vehicles. If a feature advertised with a car depends on a network that is later retired, owners may have fewer connected functions than they expected when buying it. The report raises resale concerns, but it offers no estimate of financial losses and does not establish how buyers or automakers would respond.
For manufacturers, the warning is a planning issue because vehicles take years to develop. Automakers designing models for the next decade may need to consider whether connectivity can be maintained through newer radios, alternative networks or services that do not depend on a carrier’s LTE system. Those are possible responses, not announced industry plans in the source material.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
The Shift Beyond 3G
Cars increasingly include mobile connections for features beyond conventional driving functions. The Drive says there are about 500 million connected cars worldwide, with the number expected to more than double by 2035. Those figures describe the global connected-car market, not the number of vehicles that would necessarily be affected by an LTE shutdown.
The previous 3G retirement offers a relevant precedent: according to The Drive, the 2022 shutdown removed connected features from millions of cars. LTE is a different network generation, and its retirement is presented as a future possibility beginning as early as 2030, rather than a shutdown already scheduled everywhere. Canali also pointed to industry interest in eSIMs and hybrid terrestrial and non-terrestrial connectivity, while saying 5G adoption has been slow.
Which Cars Will Be Affected
No operator-by-operator shutdown schedule is provided, and the source does not specify which countries, networks or services would be affected first. “As early as 2030” signals a possible starting point, not a confirmed date for a universal LTE shutdown.
It is also unclear how many cars depend on LTE for particular functions, whether automakers or service providers could preserve access through other networks, or what support would be offered to owners. The warning does not establish that every 4G-equipped car will lose every connected feature, or that any vehicle will become undriveable. The impact would depend on its hardware and on the network requirements of each service.
Planning Before LTE Retirements
The next relevant developments are specific retirement plans from mobile operators and guidance from automakers about the connectivity hardware in current and upcoming models. The source does not identify a formal industry response or a confirmed retrofit program.
Automakers and service providers could consider how to support vehicles whose modems cannot connect to newer networks, but no shared “network classic” system or equivalent plan is confirmed in the report. Until operators publish schedules and manufacturers explain their support policies, owners cannot tell from this report whether a particular car will lose service or when.
Key Questions
Will an LTE shutdown stop a car from driving?
The report warns about potential loss of connectivity-dependent features, not that cars will stop driving. Effects would depend on whether a vehicle’s core functions or optional services require a mobile connection.
When could LTE networks begin to be retired?
The Omdia analyst cited by The Drive said mobile operators could begin decommissioning LTE from 2030. The source gives no fixed schedule for particular operators or regions.
Can a software update make a 4G car work on 5G?
Not by itself. A 4G modem lacks 5G radio hardware, so firmware cannot convert it into a 5G modem. Whether a vehicle can use another connection would depend on its hardware and available services.
Which car features could be affected?
Potentially affected services include remote functions, tracking, diagnostics and infotainment, according to The Drive. The report does not identify specific models or confirm that every listed feature would disappear in every affected car.
Is there a confirmed fix or retrofit plan?
The source describes no confirmed industry-wide fix or retrofit program. It discusses possible approaches, but owners will need model-specific guidance from automakers and service providers as network plans become clearer.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
