Sierra Wireless (News - Alert) has introduced the industry's first and only suite of embedded wireless modules designed specifically for automotive manufacturers. That’s the spin. The new AirPrime AR Series intelligent embedded modules have been designed and developed from the ground up in order to achieve the highest level of compliance with automotive specifications. Commercial shipments are scheduled to begin in mid-2011.

While car manufacturers and OEMs have used wireless modules for many years, the solutions have been based on regular commercial-grade modules adapted for automotive applications. However, it’s a challenging environment for wireless technologies: solutions must withstand extreme temperatures, thermal shocks, constant vibration, and humidity over many years.

Key features include: tolerance for up to 1,000 thermal shock cycles; full certification with ISO 9001:2000 quality standards and ISO/TS 16949:2002 manufacturing processes; operating temperature range from -40 to 85 degrees Celsius; compliance with multiple automotive manufacturing and quality processes including AQPQ, PPAP, PCN, and 8D; solder-down form factor and optional Embedded SIM to create a more reliable and less expensive solution

Sierra stated that it provides the industry's only automotive module portfolio that offers truly global coverage. Models support the full range of 2G and 3G network technologies and frequency bands used worldwide. In addition, the AirPrime AR Series is also the only automotive-grade solution that offers an open platform for customer application development, including dedicated APIs for telematics applications.