General Motors Co., the largest U.S. automaker, will start offering wireless charging for smartphones in some vehicles next year, said Ran Poliakine, chief executive officer of Powermat Technologies Ltd.
Instead of plugging in cables to replenish battery power, drivers of some 2014 GM models will be able to place mobile devices onto a Powermat surface inside the car to draw electricity. Phones must be capable of recharging via built-in technology, or use a case designed for the purpose.
GM, an investor in Powermat, would be the first carmaker to build the technology into its models, Poliakine said. The Detroit-based automaker is racing with Toyota Motor Corp. and Chrysler Group LLC, which have also indicated they will include the feature in some 2014 models. Global shipments of wirelessly charging devices are projected to rise to almost 100 million by 2015 from 5 million units last year, according to IHS.