AT&T has opened a 5,000-square-foot research facility to test and develop innovations in digital automotive communications.
The company said the new AT&T Drive Studio in Atlanta is the first working lab created by a carrier dedicated to "connected car" research with the goal of improving safety, convenience and entertainment.
The center is located near the AT&T Foundry innovation center adjacent to Georgia Tech. The center opened last August to develop innovations for AT&T's home security and automation services, called Digital Life, emerging devices, AT&T U-verse and innovations for the automotive industry.
Researchers at AT&T Drive Studio will develop products that rely on next-generation data speeds, from voice-controlled apps and infotainment to advanced diagnostics.
The studio features working garage bays, a speech lab, a showroom, conference space and other amenities. AT&T said it will allow the company to respond to the needs of automotive manufacturers and companies tied to the auto industry.
"Our goal is to be the best carrier for connected car innovation in the world," Glenn Lurie, president of emerging enterprises and partnerships at AT&T Mobility, said in announcing the studio.
AT&T also has teamed up with Accenture, Amdocs, Clear Channel's iHeart Radio, Ericsson, Jasper Wireless, Synchronoss and VoiceBox to provide a platform that allows automakers to develop customized applications to fit their specific communication needs.
AT&T Foundry hopes to be a central location for attracting researchers and students who want to hone their technical and business skills, and for hosting hackathons, workshops and other events.
The company also has innovation centers in in Palo Alto, Calif., Plano, Texas, and Ra'anana, Israel.
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