innovation
Tuning in to the need for scalable connectivity and infotainment By: Nick Palmen
As consumer demand to be connected everywhere increases, so does the presence of the auto manufacturers and suppliers at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show( CES) in Las Vegas. Keynote speeches by CEOs for many of the world’ s technology firms demonstrate that they are now taking integration between car and consumer electronics seriously. For HARMAN, a leader in the premium global audio and infotainment sectors, CES was a chance to show off its range of innovations designed to deliver an enhanced driving experience.
Automotive Industries( AI) asked Michael Mauser, Executive Vice President Infotainment and Lifestyle at HARMAN to sum up the company’ s overall message at CES.
Mauser: The key message we took to CES was, in an age where the automotive sector is pushing the boundaries of connectivity in the car, we need to respond with technology that will enable us to push connectivity to the next level. HARMAN is focussed on delivering rich content and driver assistance in a safe and intuitive way. We are in an extremely strong position to do this. Given our heritage in innovation, superior
Michael Mauser, Executive Vice President Infotainment and
Lifestyle at HARMAN.
technology and a relentless focus on safety, we are the undisputed leader in delivering compelling infotainment experiences to consumers through our OEM customers. Currently one in every four infotainment equipped premium vehicles is using solutions from HARMAN.
To drive this message home we presented a range of innovative technologies from next generation interactive head-up displays with augmented navigation, touch-free gesture controls, and the latest connectivity options, through to ground-breaking industry firsts such as our QuantumLogic 3D surround sound. We also unveiled our scalable car-centric app and entry-level connected radio platforms. HARMAN’ s scalable approach and integration capability has been the primary enabler in the launch of infotainment systems across the full range of vehicles from highend to entry level. We are now able to offer a solution to virtually any car manufacturer, anywhere in the world.
AI: Gesture recognition is an interesting concept, how does HARMAN see it working in vehicles?
Mauser: In our next generation infotainment concept we have integrated gesture recognition with a multi-display concept using the instrument cluster, in-dash console and our new high resolution head-up display. This is helps give drivers a safer interface with the vehicle’ s functions. Highly intuitive to use, touch-free gesture control puts drivers in charge of an array of infotainment options without the hazard of distraction for instance, the driver can reject an incoming phone call just with a swipe of the hand, or change what’ s shown on the display in the most natural and intuitive way. Beyond controlling the heads-up display, gestures can also be used to control the infotainment system. The driver can scroll through the various features – and then start to listen to music as well as adjust the volume using simple gestures. All of these innovations are designed to give the user better control while staying focused on the road. AI: On that note, safety is going to be crucial. What is HARMAN doing to address these issues? Mauser: We see safety and intuitiveness as an important factor in all our products and services. For instance, introducing an industry first our premium infotainment system for BMW allows the drivers without taking their hands off the wheel or eyes off the road to dictate short emails, texts or voice memos to be composed and sent later or instantly via mobile uplink. Another example is the new HARMAN scalable app-centric infotainment system we debuted at CES. It places tabs at the bottom of every screen where drivers can easily and quickly find them. Sensors let the icons“ grow” in size as a driver’ s finger approaches the system touch screen to provide the driver an immediate response on which field he has currently selected before he engages it by touching. HARMAN has also integrated driver assistance functions into this infotainment system to help drivers increase
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