The new Audi A8 will feature high-speed data network for in-car navigation and entertainment.

Andrew Gilbert, an executive vice president at chip maker Qualcomm, said the car would provide a “bubble of connectivity” for travellers, allowing them to access web-based services at high speeds on the go.

The Audi A8 will feature the Mobile Media Interface Plus in-car navigation system, which will act as a mobile “hotspot”, enabling passengers to connect Wi-Fi enabled devices to the internet. The sat-nav also has Google Earth built in to it, providing driers with high-resolution, three-dimensional satellite imagery. Audi said that the system, when combined with a street atlas and other online content, can provide real-time route planning, location-specific points of interest or local restaurant reviews, as well as up-to-the-minute traffic information.

The system is powered by Qualcomm’s UMTS technology, one of the next generation of high-speed data networks that will make is easier for internet-enabled devices to connect to the web at high speeds.

“We’re pleased to be working with Audi to show consumers just how compelling the mixture of navigation and 3G connectivity technologies can be,” said Luis Pineda, a senior vice president of product management at Qualcomm. “By integrating our UMTS modem technology with Audi’s navigation system, we can provide drivers with a navigation experience unlike any other, backed by real-time data and imagery.”

Audi said the first UMTS-enabled A8s would go on sale later this year.