Associate Director Greg Basich commented, “Automakers are increasingly embedding Wi-Fi connectivity across both premium and mass-market vehicles to support wireless smartphone projection (such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), over-the-air (OTA) software updates, cloud-based services, and provide Wi-Fi hotspot access to in-vehicle occupants.”

Automotive PV Wi-Fi Penetration by Standard, 2025 vs 2024

Note: Out of cars with embedded Wi-Fi 

Wi-Fi 5 was the most commonly supported standard in cars sold in 2025, as it can support most current automotive use cases. However, the biggest momentum of the year came from Wi-Fi 6 adoption in cars, which grew 142% YoY in 2025. Compared to earlier Wi-Fi generations, Wi-Fi 6 delivers higher bandwidth, lower latency, and improved efficiency in environments with high densities of connected devices.

China, the United States, and Europe remained the top three automotive Wi-Fi markets globally in 2025, collectively accounting for nearly 77% of cars with embedded Wi-Fi. China remained the leading market for automotive Wi-Fi 6 adoption in 2025, driven by aggressive software-defined vehicle (SDV) development and rapid digital cockpit innovation by domestic automakers. Chinese OEMs, including BYD, NIO, Xpeng, Li Auto, and ZEEKR, are increasingly integrating advanced rear-seat entertainment, wireless smartphone projection, and cloud-based in-car services, creating significantly higher in-vehicle data traffic.

Associate Director Kevin Li, who oversees China automotive research, said, “Chinese automakers are pushing digital cockpit innovation much faster than international rivals. As vehicles become more software-driven and display-heavy, the need for faster, more stable internal wireless connectivity is increasing rapidly. Wi-Fi 6 is becoming an important enabler for these next-generation in-car experiences.”

Toyota Group held the leading position globally in passenger-car sales with embedded Wi-Fi in 2025, supported by its large global vehicle volumes and broad connected-vehicle portfolio. Volkswagen Group and Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group followed closely, benefiting from strong connectivity integration strategies and expanding digital cockpit deployments.

Vice President of Research, Peter Richardson, commented on the automotive Wi-Fi market outlook, “As vehicles evolve into software-driven digital platforms, automakers are integrating a wide range of digital features that require OTA updates and connections to off-board networks. With them, the need for more advanced wireless communication standards is also growing. As a result, Wi-Fi 6 is increasingly becoming the preferred standard for modern digital cockpit systems.”

About Counterpoint Research

Counterpoint Research is a global market research firm specializing in products across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients – from smartphone OEMs to chipmakers and channel players to Big Tech – through our offices located in the world's major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers. Our analyst team, led by seasoned experts, engages with stakeholders across the enterprise – from the C-suite to professionals in strategy, analyst relations (AR), market intelligence (MI), business intelligence (BI), product and marketing – to deliver services spanning market data, industry thought leadership and consulting. Our core areas of coverage include AI, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks and Infrastructure, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables. Visit our Insights page to explore our publicly available market data, insights and thought leadership, and to understand our focus, meet our analysts and start a conversation.

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