LTE shutdown and connected cars: what happens to online vehicle functions after 2030

© A. Krivonosov

A car may acquire a digital expiry date unrelated to its bodywork or battery. Omdia forecasts that the number of connected vehicles will rise from 473.7 million in 2025 to more than 1.05 billion by 2035. At the same time, some mobile operators are expected to start gradually retiring LTE from 2030.

This does not mean a car will stop starting. The risk concerns functions that need a cellular connection: OTA updates, dynamic EV route planning, remote control, telematics and some safety services. The limitation is in the hardware: a software update cannot turn an LTE modem into a 5G device.

There are already examples of digital obsolescence. Nissan is ending the NissanConnect EV app for older Leaf and e-NV200 vehicles on March 30, 2026 because the platform architecture is outdated and cannot be upgraded. Owners lose remote control and some connected functions, while the vehicle's core functions remain available. App support has therefore become part of a car's real value rather than merely a multimedia bonus.

There is no single global date for switching off LTE, and the 2030 milestone should not be treated as a universal deadline. Omdia is referring to the start of the process at certain operators, not one day when 4G disappears worldwide.

The practical question for buyers is changing. Alongside promised years of software updates, it is worth asking which modem is installed, whether it supports several network generations, whether the telematics unit can be physically replaced and whether the manufacturer will keep cloud services operating in the country of use. A car can serve for 15–20 years; its factory connectivity may have a much shorter life.