innovation
Reducing the costs of humanmachine interface systems
By: Alan Tran
One of the biggest challenges for the automotive industry is to develop a human-machine interface system( HMI) that that is simple, accessible, non-distractive— and affordable.
Consumers demand the safety and infotainment advantages of automotive human-machine interface( HMI) systems but, according to a Frost & Sullivan survey, they do not want to pay a premium for those options. Setting the standard is the HMI experience people have with their Smartphones, which have set the de-facto standard for how HMI should look and feel. As more consumers demand access to their Smartphone apps while in their cars, an HMI must be designed specifically for in-car use to minimize driver distraction and comply with strict safety standards while maintaining the apps’ capabilities.
Olaf Preissner, Head of Design / Human Factors Lab at
Luxoft Consulting Germany.
A number of innovative technologies in the market integrate Smartphones with cars or, more precisely, integrate Smartphone apps within the cars. With in-car connectivity, the app can be hosted either on the Smartphone or in the cloud. In the near future, apps will be stored in the cloud, so that the users can always access them from any device. The focus, therefore, is on the software controlling the HMI devices. One of the few software companies to specialize in HMI design is Luxoft. For almost a decade, Luxoft has been developing advanced infotainment and HMI software for the leading automakers and Tier 1 suppliers. Four years ago, the company started to develop product platforms that work as solution accelerators, allowing clients to develop their own products and bring them to the market faster, while cutting costs. iviLink provides seamless, in-vehicle Smartphone app integration. Read more about iviLink in the July 2012 issue of Automotive Industries or at www. ivilink. net.
In September 2012, Luxoft Consulting Germany opened a dedicated HMI Research and Development center near Stuttgart, which currently employs a team of 35 experienced engineers with strong expertise in researching, defining, and developing next-generation UI and user experience( UX) for automotive HMI. Automotive Industries( AI) asked Olaf Preissner, Head of Design / Human Factors Lab at Luxoft Consulting Germany, what are some of the reasons for Luxoft’ s expansion in Germany with the R & D and delivery center near Stuttgart.
Preissner: Germany is a key market for our R & D and product engineering initiatives. We realized the need for highly interactive, user-friendly automotive HMI solutions that will help our clients succeed in this competitive space. With the addition of the center near Stuttgart, we are now able to offer R & D and design services for automotive HMI across all classes of cars. An additional advantage is the proximity to the top premium car manufacturers in the world, which drive the future trends in high-end automotive infotainment.
AI: What are some of the HMI automotive applications Luxoft is working on that will change the way consumers interact with their cars?
Preissner: Connectivity and Smartphone integration are important developments for the near future. Luxoft’ s new automotive connectivity platform, iviLink, enables seamless connectivity between in-vehicle infotainment systems( head units, car radios, and rear seat entertainment equipment) and mobile devices, such
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