11 September 2008

Ann Owen describes how car manufacturers are paying increased attention to infotainment aspects, as customers ask for more and better.

The recent signing of a long-term agreement between the Hyundai- Kia Automotive Group (HKAG) and Microsoft clearly demonstrates that in-car information and entertainment will be used in the future as differentiators when manufacturers bring their new cars to market. In-car entertainment and information is going to be transformed.

The time between product releases may come down to months rather than years as the platform becomes standardised.

The journey from cassette to CD formats in-car was snail-like and the drive to digital is tortoise speed compared to what is about to happen.

Standardised software platforms allow automakers to focus on their key competences, such as system design, vehicle integration, driver assistance systems and safety systems. As with PCs, the system becomes easily upgradeable so customers will expect to keep up with the latest technologies and standards as they appear.

“We are pleased to partner with Microsoft to deliver high-performance infotainment solutions to our customers,” says Hyun Soon Lee, president and chief technology officer of HKAG. “The advanced capabilities, flexibility and low price point make the Microsoft Auto software platform an attractive solution for us.”

The first product, an infotainment system that provides voice-controlled connectivity between mobile devices, will be introduced in the North American market in 2010 and expand into multimedia and navigation devices. The partners say that the “easy-to-use infotainment systems will allow consumers to enjoy music in various digital formats.”

So far so good but the development time frame indicates more than the quick adding of a USB port to existing units.

Apparently, the next-generation infotainment systems will be comparable to mini-PCs. Even after product launch, new functions can be added or upgraded in the form of software program updates, an innovation to existing in-car multimedia technology.

The engineering and marketing teams of Microsoft’s Automotive Business Unit in Redmond, Washington, USA, will be working directly with counterparts at HKAG in Seoul.

At the CeBIT exhibition in Germany, Continental showcased a prototype of its next-generation Multimedia Platform, based on the Microsoft Auto platform. It includes navigation, high-end multimedia applications and interfaces that connect multiple portable electronic entertainment devices.

“Thanks to the excellent cooperation with Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit we are making rapid progress with our new platform. The development of this solution proves that our collaboration allows every party to concentrate on its key competencies, which maximises the benefit for our customers,” says Helmut Matschi, president of Continental's Interior Division.

Microsoft Auto-powered systems are available in Fiat vehicles in Europe and South America and Ford vehicles in North America. Fiat has announced strong attach rates – 80 per cent in the new Fiat 500 – and further developments for the Blue&Me system, such as Blue&Me Map. At the Geneva Motor Show, Lancia launched the new Lancia Delta, with Blue&Me or Blue&Me Nav as an optional extra.

Blue&Me Nav provides a simple and intuitive voice-controlled navigation system via a Bluetooth interface; as standard it also incorporates a USB port, MP3 player and SMS text interpreter. Blue&Me Nav's key functions such as phone, music player and navigation are built into the instrument panel, allowing drivers to listen to their favourite music, make phone calls and use the navigation system via the hands-free interface. The speech recognition technology ensures drivers have hands-free access to all Blue&Me's features in a completely safe manner when in motion.

Fiat also showed ecoDrive, which analyses the motorist's driving style and offers suggestions on how to drive more ecologically.

By using the USB port of the Blue&Me system, it is possible to record the characteristics of a motorist's driving style, and using a normal USB key, carry that information into a digital environment.

There, the driver can analyse in detail the fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions of every journey, receive advice on how to drive with a lower impact on the environment, and become part of a community that shares an eco-aware driving ethic.

Ford has estimated Sync will be a massive hit in the US car market with a projected one million cars sold equipped with it by early 2009. With the launch of the Ford Focus in the US, Sync has become the most requested feature in all Focus models, particularly among the 18 to 35-year-old audience.

Ann Owen is a freelance journalist specialising in automotive technology. This article originally featured in the summer 2008 edition of Prime magazine.