This is a wide-open, rapidly changing field. However, one thing is certain, the car is and increasingly will be part of digital life. The fight continues between smartphone, tablet and automakers.
There is an ongoing automotive infotainment war escalating that has electronics companies vying with automakers over who gets lucrative consumer dollars. The latest twist is Misubishi Electric’s updated version of its FlexConnect system that has a three-screen user interface. By combining swipe and touchscreen technology, a driver can interact with a heads-up display and instrument cluster on the center panel. As a Tier One supplier Mitsubishi’s list of automaker clients is impressive and extensive – Honda, GM, Ford Chrysler, Daimler – so it’s reasonable to assume rapid adaptation by car companies.
Built on a Google Android platform, the center touchscreen allows sharing of navigation, media and climate controls with the instrument panel and – if so equipped – a heads-up display.
In keeping with industry infotainment trends, a large 12.1-inch portrait mode display (1,280 x 800 resolution) allows users to access one to three features simultaneously. With full-screen, half-screen and one-third screen displays, users can access navigation only, navigation and media player, or navigation, media player and climate controls. A single Texas Instrument “Jacinto 6” automotive processor powers all of the displays.
“Similar systems using multiprocessor architectures would struggle to achieve a similar cohesive user experience,” said Gareth Williams, manager, Strategic Technologies, Audio, Video & Communications, Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America. “FLEXConnect.IVI builds on a flexible, extensible architecture allowing users to easily share content between passenger entertainment systems and outside devices such as tablets or phones.”
Fewer than 10% of tablets currently in use have a data plan, a potentially vast market. The fight is over whether the tablet go into the car or does the car in effect become the tablet?
Mitsubishi demonstrations showed AutoInformed that this is extremely capable hardware. The question remains content. Here, General Motors appears to be well ahead of other automakers with its high-speed data capable 2015 Chevrolet Corvette, Impala, Malibu, and Volt cars. They were the first in a quickly growing list of General Motors vehicles to come optionally-equipped with OnStar 4G LTE. The upgrade allows for voice and high-speed Wi-Fi data services running on AT&T’s network, which is claimed to be the nation’s fastest and most reliable. GM said the connections for multiple devices would be more reliable and more powerful than smartphones. GM estimates that by the end of the decade it will be selling 10 million vehicles annually with 4G LTE.
In its latest Announcement, passengers in the 2016 Buick Enclave can download on the go with OnStar 4G LTE connectivity. It includes a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, which can be used simultaneously by up to seven devices. The Enclave’s connectivity upgrade brings 4G LTE and the Wi-Fi hotspot to the entire 2016 Buick model range, from Encore and Verano to Regal and LaCrosse – and the all-new Cascada convertible. The Wi-Fi hotspot is on whenever the vehicle is on and it comes with a three-month/three-gigabyte data trial.
Audi is working on a similar AT&T program with thus far more limited applications announced. Audi and AT&T will offer two data plan options: a 5 GB/ 6-month plan for $99 and a 30 GB/ 30-month plan for $499.
