Three Swedish companies yesterday announced plans to bring the motor car into the internet age.

Telecommunications equipment maker Ericsson, truck and bus manufacturer Volvo and telecommunications services provider Telia are setting up WirelessCar which will offer mobile e-services ranging from roadside and emergency assistance to internet access for vehicle manufacturers and fleet operators. Drivers will be able to get expert analysis of faults from a remote diagnostics facility.

The companies have not given details of how much they plan to invest in WirelessCar. Initially they will be equal partners but expect to recruit other companies in the future. "So far advanced mobile e-services have been mere visions. WirelessCar will make them come true," president of the new venture, Jan Hellaker, said.

Jöran Hoff, vice president and general manager for new and special business operations at Ericsson, said WirelessCar was "a natural extension of our vision of anywhere, anytime communications".

Ericsson is involved in a similar link-up with Electrolux and telecoms provider TeleDanmark to bring the internet into the domestic appliance market aiming at creating "the networked home" - where the fridge could keep track of the number of eggs being used and provide advanced warnings of impending break-down.