How to Use Your Car as a Wi-Fi Hotspot

Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.

My daily driver is an old second-generation Prius. It’s not exactly a poster child for modern in-car technology -- it doesn’t even have Bluetooth. I have to use my Google Pixel if I want a Wi-Fi hotspot in my Prius. However, car and truck buyers today can enjoy the convenience of a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. With the right vehicle, your on-the-road Wi-Fi dreams can come true.

Why have a Wi-Fi hotspot in your car?

You have a phone, and chances are your phone has a hotspot feature. So why do you need one built into your car? Matt Harden, assistant vice president of AT&T Connected Solutions, gives the example of ...