The WiMax car whips up a frenzy

November 05, 2005

Monoco-based car maker Venturi Automobiles unveiled the Fétish -- the world's first production electric sports car to have a "pre-WiMax" box inside -- at the 2005 Geneva International Motor Show.

Intel has put an Alvarion pre-WiMax wireless connection box inside to improve the car's telemetry, and allow the car to communicate with the owner wherever they happen to be.

Venturi also sees WiMax as a means of remotely monitoring vehicle operation, diagnosing the engine and even updating onboard applications.

For Venturi this addresses the most worrisome aspect of owning a battery-powered car. "The stressful days of not knowing whether or not your vehicle is charged are over," the company crows.

The Fétish achieves 0 to 60mph in 4.5 seconds, has a top speed of 105mph and a range of 240 miles. The power comes from 7,200 lithium-ion batteries, weighing a total of 350kg, managed by two Intel XScale processors.