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An Omdia study and comments from IoT analyst John Canali have renewed concern about connected cars that rely on 4G LTE. Mobile operators may begin decommissioning LTE from 2030, but the timing and effects are not settled, and the source does not establish that cars will be bricked or unable to drive. Vehicles with LTE-only hardware could lose network-dependent services unless automakers or service providers offer alternatives.
Mobile network operators may begin decommissioning 4G LTE from 2030, raising a long-range risk for connected cars that depend on LTE for remote services, diagnostics, tracking or infotainment. The Drive, citing an Omdia study and analyst John Canali, reports that vehicles with older network hardware could lose some connected functions if they cannot attach to a replacement network. The available source does not show that cars would stop driving, nor does it identify a confirmed shutdown timetable for particular carriers or vehicles.
The concern comes as the number of vehicles with network connectivity grows. The Drive reports that there are about 500 million connected cars worldwide and that the total is projected to more than double by 2035. It does not provide the study’s full methodology or say how many of those vehicles rely specifically on LTE, rather than another connection type. The figures describe the global connected-car population and forecast, not the number of cars certain to lose service.
Connected features vary by vehicle, but may include remote access, vehicle tracking, diagnostics and infotainment. Those functions can depend on a car communicating with a mobile network or a manufacturer’s service. If a vehicle’s modem cannot connect after a network is retired, the dependent services may become unavailable. Which features would be affected depends on the vehicle, its software and services, and any replacement connection or support the automaker provides.
Canali, Omdia’s principal IoT analyst, said that adoption of 5G in automotive has been slow and warned that vehicles reliant on connectivity could be left without a viable network as LTE is retired. The Drive also points to the 2022 3G shutdown as a precedent for connected features becoming unavailable. But an LTE retirement remains a future prospect in the supplied material, not a present, universal shutdown or a confirmed finding that cars will be rendered unusable.
The Risk to Connected Car Services
The issue matters because a car can remain mechanically operable while losing services that owners have come to expect. Depending on the vehicle, losing connectivity could affect functions such as remote start, app-based controls, emergency or assistance services, traffic data or subscription features. The source does not specify which services would fail in any particular model, and some functions may work locally without a network.
There may also be consequences for the used-car market. The Drive argues that the loss of connected features could make older vehicles less convenient and harder to resell. That is a plausible concern, not a measured outcome in the source: no resale data or estimate of financial impact is supplied. The scale of any effect will depend on how many vehicles remain LTE-only, what services rely on the connection, and whether automakers provide upgrades or alternatives.
The distinction between losing connectivity and being “bricked” is central. The headline describes a risk in forceful terms, but the reporting supports concern about network-dependent features, not proof that cars will become unable to start or drive. The consequences for each model need to be assessed separately.
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From 3G Retirement to LTE
Wireless network generations are retired as carriers reallocate infrastructure and spectrum, but closures do not happen on one universal date. The source says operators may start decommissioning LTE as early as 2030; it does not name carriers that have set a date, identify regions with a firm schedule, or say every operator will retire LTE at once.
The earlier 3G shutdown in 2022 offers a relevant comparison: The Drive says it removed connected features from millions of cars. It also notes that some early OnStar vehicles had already lost service during the 2008 analog shutdown. These examples show that network-dependent vehicle services can be affected when the underlying network disappears, but they do not establish the number or severity of future LTE-related losses.
Hardware limits matter. A car with a 4G modem cannot connect directly to a 5G-only network just through a software update; replacing or supplementing the radio may require hardware changes. Canali said the auto industry is exploring technologies such as eSIM and hybrid terrestrial and non-terrestrial connectivity, while warning that slow 5G adoption leaves a potential gap. The source does not say which manufacturers will retrofit existing cars or how widely such options will be available.
Which Cars Could Lose Service
The source does not identify specific automakers, models, carriers or countries with confirmed LTE shutdown dates. It also does not quantify how many of the reported connected cars use LTE-only modems, or distinguish vehicles whose essential functions depend on a connection from those that use it only for optional services.
It remains unclear what manufacturers will do for vehicles already on the road: possible responses could include hardware retrofits, alternative network arrangements, continued LTE service in some areas, or ending particular connected services. The supplied material does not confirm that any one approach will be adopted or explain its cost. Nor does it establish that a network shutdown would disable basic driving functions. Owners should check model-specific information rather than assume either that their car will be unaffected or that it will become undriveable.
Automakers Must Plan for LTE
The next concrete developments to watch are carrier retirement plans and automaker support announcements. The source urges manufacturers to account for the risk while planning future vehicles, but gives no announced industry agreement, retrofit program or policy deadline. Any claim about a specific car’s future service should be checked against the automaker and the mobile provider serving that vehicle.
For owners, the practical next step is to identify which features depend on a cellular connection and ask the manufacturer whether the car’s modem is LTE-only and what support is planned. Until carriers publish schedules and manufacturers explain their responses, the timing, reach and cost of any service losses remain unsettled.
Key Questions
Will an LTE shutdown make my car undriveable?
That is not established by the source. It warns that network-dependent features could stop working, but does not report that basic driving or mechanical functions would fail.
When could carriers start retiring 4G LTE?
The report says operators may begin decommissioning LTE as early as 2030. It does not give confirmed dates for particular carriers or regions.
Can a software update make a 4G modem work on 5G?
Not if the vehicle has LTE-only radio hardware: the source notes that firmware cannot turn a 4G radio into a 5G radio. Whether a hardware retrofit or another connection is available will depend on the vehicle and manufacturer.
Which connected-car features might be affected?
Potentially affected services include remote access, tracking, diagnostics and infotainment, if they rely on a connection that is no longer available. The effect is model- and service-specific; the source does not list affected vehicles.
Has an LTE shutdown schedule for my car been announced?
The supplied reporting names no specific carrier shutdown schedule or affected-car list. Owners should check with their automaker and mobile service provider for current, model-specific guidance.
Source: rss
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