Audi first to offer factory-installed WLAN hotspot with new A8

Audi is offering the option of a factory-installed WLAN hotspot on its new A8. The system will enable front and rear seat passengers to tap into Internet access at up to 7.2 Mbit/s by dropping a data-capable SIM card into the car's Bluetooth phone or by pairing your existing phone.

The connection is via the car's rooftop antenna and up to eight laptops, tablets or other network devices are supported simultaneously. Data transfer uses WPA2 encryption.

While dealer-installed and aftermarket in-car hotspots aren't brand new, the offer of a factory installed system is a world first according to Audi.

And this isn't the only piece of tech the new A8 will be packing - there's a new touch operated multimedia interface (MMI), an on-board hard disk and a graphics processor capable of generating three dimensional images. The MMI navigation system also integrates of Google Earth for the first time in a production vehicle.