• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, October 21, 2020

After teasing the development for some time, AT&T has officially announced the launch of WarnerMedia Ride, a streaming service available at no extra charge to consumers with AT&T unlimited data plans in General Motors connected cars.

The service, initially available in select Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles, offers WarnerMedia video content via personal smartphones or tablets connected to in-car Wi-Fi hotspots.

Programming includes content from brands such as Bleacher Report, Boomerang, Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS and TNT — and says it will add HBO Max next year.

Passengers can download the Ride app from the Apple App Store (iOS 11+) or Google Play (Android 9+). Customers will have an interface with a new authentication feature that lets users access content once the app senses the vehicle's Wi-Fi hotspot.

General Motors already has more than 1 million subscribers to AT&T’s 4G LTE Wi-Fi service, led primarily by families in SUVs like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade, according to the companies. 

GM customers also already have access to WarnerMedia Audio, including the company’s podcast library and live audio simulcasts from the WarnerMedia news networks.

"This relationship with GM means we can fully connect car owners with new immersive experiences and exclusive content to create meaningful connections for the whole family," Barry Loudis, vice president, WarnerMedia Content Experiences, stated in the announcement.

"General Motors pioneered the connected car industry and we continue to put our customers at the center of what those connections can offer," said Santiago Chamorro, vice president, GM Global Connected Services. "The addition of WarnerMedia's library of podcasts, movies and television programming – combined with AT&T's Wi-Fi connectivity – is just another way we're enhancing the ownership experience for our customers.”