AT&T announced two major initiatives to lead innovation in the connected car market -- connected car center in Atlanta, called the AT&T Drive Studio, and a modular, global automotive platform called AT&T Drive. Located in Atlanta, the more than 5,000-square foot AT&T Drive Studio features working garage bays, a speech lab, a full showroom to exhibit the latest innovations, conference facilities, and much more. The AT&T Drive Studio integrates AT&T solutions across multiple companies, and serves as a hub where AT&T can respond to needs of automotive manufacturers and the auto ecosystem at large.

AT&T Drive Studio: AT&T is the first carrier to open a dedicated facility for connected car innovation and research. Called the AT&T Drive Studio, it will be the premier location for creating the future of connected cars. AT&T Drive Studio showcases end-to-end solutions that AT&T and its contributors can provide automotive manufacturers around the world.

Significant ecosystem players are committed to the Drive Studio and will work alongside AT&T, including Accenture, Amdocs, Clear Channel's iHeart Radio, Ericsson, Jasper Wireless, Synchronoss and VoiceBox. AT&T Drive: AT&T Drive is the company's connected car platform -- a modular, global solution that allows automakers to pick and choose what services and capabilities are important to them in order to differentiate their solutions in the marketplace. From connectivity and billing solutions to data analytics and infotainment, AT&T Drive will allow auto makers and developers to develop their own innovative and customized connected car solutions, now and in the future.

The platform allows AT&T to work with companies to bring new connected vehicle services to market quickly including: Global SIM and Global Provisioning; Unique Global Billing Solutions; Safety, Security, and Diagnostics Solutions; Voice Enablement /Safe Driving Solutions; Service Delivery; Secure Firmware Updates; Application Store Capabilities; and Policy Management Solutions. AT&T Drive allows automakers the ability to utilize or build their own services and join them with services from AT&T Drive, which helps create unique solutions for their end users.