A new infotainment system allows the use of any media on any of the burgeoning number of screens in new vehicles. Dubbed Flexconnect by supplier Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America, it offers flexibility for multiple displays and multiple content streams, allowing passengers different choices.
The two rear seat screens with cameras operate as independent units while still being connected through the Ethernet AVB architecture. The system supports Wi-Fi connectivity and can be used with multiple smart phones or tablets, allowing users’ content to be available in the vehicle.
“Any media on any screen” allows sharing from one screen to another with a tap on the screen. There is also interactivity between the two screens, allowing passengers to play games or send photos back and forth. There is control from the front seat, allowing adults to preview and override rear seat programming. The cameras installed above each rear seat screen to allow monitoring of rear seat occupants.
Mitsubishi says more electronics are on the way. Concepts under discussion include:
- Navigation selection, allowing passengers to choose a destination and send it to the vehicle’s navigation system
- Occupant recognition, enabling personalized layouts, contact lists, device defaults and audio preferences, allowing each user a personal entertainment system.
- The ability to offload alerts, such as traffic and navigation information, from the head unit onto the tablet, allowing the front seat passenger to decide when the driver should be informed. This gives the passenger access to detailed alerts while preventing distracted driving.
