Chrysler to offer live TV service in vehicles _ up to 20 channels starting in December
By APThursday, October 29, 2009
Oprah on the road? Chrysler offers live TV service
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — If the morning commute interrupts your regular newscast, Chrysler may have a solution — live TV in your car with news, sports and other cable channels.
The company said Thursday that customers can buy the service, called Flo TV, as an option on most of its vehicles starting in December. It includes up to 20 channels; including Fox News, MSNBC and Comedy Central.
The cost: $629 plus an installation fee. A one-year subscription service is included. Chrysler is still negotiating over the subscription fee after the first year, but packages could start as low as $9 a month, a spokesman said.
Distracted drivers need not worry: The TV system will be integrated into vehicles’ DVD system, which has drop-down screens viewable only to passengers in back.
The company said the service will be available in more than 100 major markets by the end of the year, with many interstate driving corridors within its coverage area.
The service works by transmitting a signal to an antenna the size of a computer mouse on the vehicle’s roof. Like a home TV, passengers can channel surf using a wired or wireless remote control.
