Driving the Future of Automotive Infotainment with Noise Resilient Audio Converters

The automotive market is driven in recent years by new consumer expectations. Ahead of them, the daily in-vehicle entertainment and connectivity experience, namely automotive infotainment, is becoming as important as traditional criteria: engine performance, safety and look of the vehicle.

Automotive infotainment refers to the hardware/software system combining multimedia entertainment (e.g. radio, CD/DVD for audio and video playback), driving information (e.g. safety, navigation and general car status) and connectivity (to smartphone, other cars and Internet). In parallel to the evolution of smartphone connectivity with vehicles, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), it is expected that automotive infotainment is going to be more and more complex and remain a major focus in the future.

The audio subsystem plays undoubtedly a key role in the automotive infotainment system. This article describes the main automotive application constraints that have an impact on audio performances and thus consumer experience, together with design considerations to be taken care of at silicon Intellectual Property (IP), Systemon- Chips (SoC), application firmware/software and Printed Circuit Board (PCB) levels. Finally, this article highlights the critical performance parameter (common mode rejection) and noise tolerance specifications that are necessary for a given car audio converter IP in order to overcome the main automotive application constraints.

Automotive infotainment application constraints

Figure 1 shows the different modules of the automotive infotainment at system level. Each module has its specific design considerations and nonetheless has to comply with automotive application requirements:

• High temperature operation
• High robustness/reliability (i.e. AEC-Q100 stress test qualification)
• Resilience to various disturbances
• Auto diagnostic feature for security reason (as the driving security related information is communicated and controlled via infotainment system)

 

 

Figure 1: System synoptic of Automotive Infotainment application

Table 1 summarizes the application constraints and what has to be implemented and managed, at IP, SoC, application software and PCB levels, in order to deliver reliable high audio perceived quality and performances.

Table 1: Recapitulative table of automotive application constraints impacting audio performances and quality

Let us detail the key constraints mentioned above:

1. Noisy ground(s) voltage

The challenge of automotive electronics is that there is no clean common ground as the chassis or body of the car is used as reference ground. Therefore, special design care shall be applied in order to prevent the ground noise intermodulated or transmitted together with the useful signal. This is particularly critical when the builtin vehicle microphone is paired with either in-car or smartphone voice command personal assistants.

If the ground noise issue is not properly managed, ground loop problems can occur and audible noise can be generated.

For the built-in microphone, usually installed on the car roof, the cable linking it to the head unit of the infotainment system can easily be a few meters long. A Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) cable shall thus be used in order to avoid any additional noise induced by the cable itself.

As for the audio input devices, a ground noise cancelling circuitry shall be implemented. For audio Analog to Digital Converter (ADC), this problem can be managed with a dedicated input pre-amplifier stage with high Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR), which will be detailed in this article.

2. Audio perception and spatialization

Automotive audio processing, perception and spatialization are hot topics in the audio engineering world, driven by customer in-cabin entertainment experience and requirements from the occupants. In order to provide highly perceived audio quality with noise reduction equalization (EQ) and/or spatialization processing, the audio converter in the system shall have high audio performances in terms of Signal-to- Noise Ratio (SNR), Total Harmonics Distortion and Noise (THD+N), inter-channel gain mismatch and Inter Modulation Distortion (IMD).

On top of this, some advanced spatial sound reproduction or active noise suppression technology in vehicle require an ambient sound recording from a built-in microphone array, which require automotive designers to carefully do the system design for avoiding noisy ground issues as mentioned above.

3. Security

As security related information (e.g. speed limit warnings or collision detection) is generally delivered through the same audio subsystem, it is extremely important to guarantee the information delivery even in case of system failure. Therefore, automotive power amplifiers normally incorporate built-in load diagnostics (short to ground or to battery, shorted load) and continuous protection against over voltage, temperature, etc. On top of this, the whole audio path shall be designed in such a way that the system can deliver not only the appropriate fault information but also the corrective action to the driver. In case of a fault detected on the main audio path, the delivery of the security information shall be ensured via an alternative output path (e.g. via a redundant audio interface or/and an audio output circuit).

4. High temperature operation

AEC-Q100 defines five different temperature grades that specify the ambient operating temperature range as part of stress test conditions for a given electronic device or Integrated Circuit (IC), as shown in Table 2. Devices for automotive applications, here the infotainment system, shall pass at least grade 1 qualification. Therefore, special design at IP and SoC level, package selection as well as PCB design and technology selection shall be done accordingly.

Table 2: AEC-Q100 temperature grades

Spotlight on the audio converter’s common mode rejection for overcoming the noisy ground issue

5. Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR)

Common mode management of the audio signal is the key to overcome noisy ground issues in automotive applications. Audio signals go through long cables which are close to disturbance sources, such as the air conditioner, power wires, and many others.

In some cases, parasitic frequencies can be as high as useful signal, so before amplifying and sampling, unwanted parts of the signal have to be removed for maximizing audio quality. Hopefully, in most cases, these parasitic signals are common mode signals.

This means that these parasitics are identical on both signal wires:

• Between positive and negative for differential signals
• Between signal and ground wires for single signals

The high level of automotive disturbances forces to attenuate unwanted signals of a factor 10,000 (i.e. 80 dB) for guaranteeing a good signal processing. Common mode signals can be rejected by using differential amplifiers for only amplifying the useful signal. The ability of an amplifier to reject common mode is defined with the Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR) as follows:

CMRR = G_MC/G_Diff

With,

– G_MC, corresponding to common mode gain

– G_Diff, corresponding to differential gain

Figure 2: Ideal resistive amplifier

Using an ideal amplifier (infinite gain) and ideal resistive elements (without mismatch) leads to a very high CMRR, because the common mode gain will be infinite.

However, real world is not ideal. Amplifiers will have a finite gain and resistive elements will have mismatch. Both non idealities lead to lowering the common mode gain and thus the CMRR. For Integrated Circuits (ICs), mismatch is mainly due to process variations during fabrication of the chip. Mismatch of resistors in ICs can reach about 1 % which implies a CMRR less than 40 dB. A solution for using resistor amplifiers while maintaining a high CMRR is to use Instrumental Amplifiers (IA) which are costly in both area and consumption.

A better way is to use capacitive elements as they are much less sensitive to process variations, and thus to mismatch. A full capacitor architecture is a really good solution for overcoming the CMRR automotive market requirement while maintaining the optimal trade-off between area and consumption.

Indeed, mismatch of embedded capacitors is much lower than that of resistors, and can easily be less than 0.1 % with proper layout guidelines. Using capacitive elements will thus lead to a CMRR of about 60 dB which is still not enough for the automotive market.

Figure 3: Full capacitive input amplifier with chopper system

Chopper systems may have to be used for reaching the 80 dB CMRR requirement of infotainment audio signal processing. A chopper system acts like a multiplier for common signal pushing away all the unwanted frequencies outside the audio bandwidth. An ideal chopper would have completely rejected the disturbances, but a real system only attenuates the unwanted frequencies of about 30 dB.

Figure 4: Chopper principle

Finally, combining the full capacitive architecture with a chopper system enables to match the automotive requirements.

CMRR_{INPUT_AMPLIFIER} = CMRR_CAPACITORS + CMRR_CHOPPER = 60 dB + 30 dB = 90 dB

6. CMNT2 (Common Mode Noise Tolerance Template)

CMRR is often given at a fixed signal frequency or only given within the audio bandwidth (20 to 20k Hz), while out-of-band noise found in the noisy ground can also introduce audible noise due to aliasing with the internal sampling frequency of the audio converter.

From the example in Figure 7, we can see that the out-of-audio-band common mode noise level impacts more the audio performance than the noise in the audio bandwidth.

Figure 5: Example of a CMNT2

Beyond the CMNT2, it is also important to include in the specifications of the audio converter other noise tolerance templates such as PSNT2 (Power Supply Noise Tolerance Template), JT2 (Jitter Tolerance Template) and PDT2 (Period Deviation Tolerance Template), enabling the verification and guarantee of audio performance against the main noise propagation issues.

The sCODS100-N.11-Xenon audio CODEC from Dolphin Integration meets automotive requirements.

The sCODS100-N.11-Xenon is a high performance multichannel audio converter which combines a high CMRR with a strong resilience to power supply noise, clock jitter and data synchronization issues for preventing any performance drop. It benefits from 2 stereo ADC of 90 dB SNR and 3 stereo DAC of 100 dB SNR for supporting diverse input configurations (e.g. in-cabin microphone for voice command and phone conversation, and FM tuner and auxiliary audio input) and a 5.1 sound system.

In addition to high audio SNR, THD+N (up to -90 dB typically), CMRR (85 dB minimum) and Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR of 90 dB) performances, the sCODS100-N.11-Xenon provides specification of all the different noise tolerance templates mentioned above. It also embeds a specific inter voltage isolation mechanism that enables independent start and stop of analog and digital power supplies, removing any constraint regarding the starting/stopping order and ensuring safe behavior of the audio converter during power-on and power-down of analog or digital power supply.

Conclusions

This article describes the automotive application constraints that have impacts on the car audio performances and perceived quality. It dives into specific performance parameters and noise tolerance specification of the audio converter itself. In order to overcome the noisy ground issue, a special input stage architecture of the audio converter is explained to improve the CMRR and the necessity to specify noise in frequency domain (beyond audio bandwidth) is highlighted.
The audio converter selected by fabless IC companies or system makers shall match the critical performances (e.g. SNR, THD+N, CMRR, IMD, gain mismatch) and provide needed noise tolerance specifications, for confidently addressing the automotive market and for enabling to provide valuable and efficient sound processing, such as audio spatialization processing, or audio connectivity.

Info courtesy @ Dolphin Integration

Bluetooth Protocol stack/layers

The protocol architecture of the bluetooth consists of following in a bluetooth protocol stack:
•  Core protocols consisting 5 layer protocol stack viz. radio,baseband,link manager protocol,logical link control and adaptation protocol, service discovery protocol.

•  Cable replacement protocol,RFCOMM

•  Telephony Control Protocols

•  Adopted protocols viz. PPP,TCP/UDP/IP,OBEX and WAE/WAP

Core protocols

Radio: This protocol specification defines air interface, frequency bands, frequency hopping specifications, modulation technique used and transmit power classes.

Baseband: Addressing scheme, packet frame format , timing and power control algorithms required for establishing connection between bluetooth devices within piconet defined in this part of protocol specification.

Link Manager protocol: It is responsible to establish link between bluetooth devices and to maintain the link between them. This protocol also includes authentication and encyption specifications. Negotiation of packet sizes between devices can be taken care by this.

Logical link control and adaptation protocol: This L2CAP protocol adapts upper layer frame to baseband layer frame format and vice versa. L2CAP take care of both connection oriented and connectionless services.

Service discovery protocol: Service related queries including device information can be taken care at this protocol so that connection can be established between bluetooth devices.

Cable replacement protocol

Serial ports are popular to provide serial communication between devices. Bluetooth uses RFCOMM as cable replacement protocol. RFCOMM functions as virtual serial port and does transport of binary digital data bits. It basically emulates RS232 specifications over bluetooth physical layer.

Telephony Control Protocols

TCS-BIN is the protocol used here which is a bit oriented one. It specifies call control signals and mobility management procedures. These signals take care of establishing speech and data calls.

Adopted protocols

These protocols are already defined by other standard bodies which are incorporate without any change in the bluetooth protocol stack architecture. The protocols are PPP,TCP/UDP/IP,OBEX and WAE/WAP.

PPP is a point to point protocol used to transfer IP datagrams.

TCP/UDP and IP are part of basic TCP/IP model, for more refer our article on Basics of OSI and TCPIP layers.

OBEX is a object exchange protocol developed by IrDA and it is similar to HTTP. It is a session level protocol.

WAE and WAP provides Wireless Application Environment and WAP provides Wirelesss Application Protocol.

Basics of OSI and TCPIP Layers

Introduction:

This page covers everything one like to know about networking basics including circuit switching vs packet switching, TCP/IP protocol fields, ARP/RARP protocol fields, what is IP address ,what is MAC address, networking devices which include hub, switch, bridge, router, gateway and firewall. In this section we will see OSI and TCP IP stack and describe functions of physical layer,data link,networking layer-IP,transport-TCP,application layers.

This article outlines OSI layers and TCPIP basics required for RF and Wireless Engineers. The OSI(Open system Interconnection) is developed for defining seven layers which makes two different vendors systems communicate. TCPIP is used for internet applications mainly. The figure describes how TCPIP layers map to OSI layers.

In OSI layer model, control is passed from one layer to the next, starting at the Layer 7, application layer in one station, proceeding to the succeeding bottom layer and so on till information reaches Layer 1.Then the information transmitted over the channel to the next station’s Layer 1 and transmitted to succeeding layers till information delivered to Layer 7. Each Layer in the OSI model does the job for the previous layer and also adds prefixes information termed as “header”. The data link layer adds suffixes called cyclic redundancy check as “trailer” which is used for error detection. The brief functionality of each OSI layer is mentioned below.

Application:
All the applications for user reside at this layer. It includes FTP, Telnet, e-mail etc.

Presentation:
It formats and encrypts data to be sent across a network. Its basic task is to make application layer and network layer talk to each other by processing the data. It provides independence to the application processes from differences in data representation by way of syntax conversion.

Session:
It Provides control mechanism to connect two applications running on different machines. It covers basic function to establish, to maintain and to release connections.

Transport:
It assures reliable data communication between two hosts. It is responsible for error recovery and flow control between two hosts. It also does multiplexing and de multiplexing functionalities for transmitting and receiving host respectively.

Network:
The main function is switching and routing of the packet. It adds logical addressing to do this. It also takes care of error handling, congestion control and packet sequencing.

Data Link:
It takes care of errors in the physical layer. It provides flow control and also does frame synchronization. ARQ is implemented to take care of retransmission in case of erroneous packets. In latest today’s technologies it provides Medium Access Control functionality, hence known as MAC. MAC takes care of resource assignment to the end devices wanted to seek connection to the network for various applications (voice, data, etc.)

Physical:
It mainly takes care of bit stream transmission over physical medium (cable, air etc.). It provides the hardware means of sending and receiving data through cable or wireless medium. Some wireless standards viz. wlan, wimax, zigbee, LTE defines physical layer specifications which takes care of forward error correction and modulation-demodulation functionalities as well as making the information suitable to be transmitted. Following figure mentions logical structure of the layered protocols inside a computer on an internet. This figure is taken from RFC 1180 to describe the concept.

RFC1180 describes logical structure of protocols inside a typical internet enabled device as mentioned below.
Ethernet Cable–ENET Card–ARP/IP–TCP/UDP–Network Applications
As mentioned etnernet cable is connected directly with Ethernet card which has upper layer ARP or IP. This has upper layer TCP or UDP and above all applications are running.

Every device has its own Ethernet address which is 6 bytes and listens for Ethernet frames with that destination address. An IP address is 4 bytes. Ethernet uses CSMA/CD. CSMA/CD means that all devices communicate on a single medium in which only one can transmit at a time and they can all receive simultaneously.

If two devices try to transmit at the same instant, the transmit collision is detected and both devices wait a random period of time before trying to transmit again. An Ethernet frame contains the destination address, source address, type field, and data.

Data flow across OSI layers for communication between Host-A and Host-B

Let’s understand how data flows from one host A and another host B. Let us assume host A is transmitting packet and Host B is receiving it.

• As mentioned above all the hosts receive the packets and each will compare destination address in the Ethernet header with its’ own Ethernet or MAC address of 6 bytes and accept the same if it matches otherwise does not pay attention.

• Next it will check for type field(2 byte long), if it is 0x806 then the packet will be passed to ARP module and if it is 0x800 it will be passed to IP module. ARP module responds to hosts seeking for Ethernet address based on their logical (IP) address.

• After packet is received by IP layer it will decide where the packet need to be routed based on routing table and destination IP address embedded in received packet’s IP header. IP header is usually 20 bytes.

• If the host is the final end system then IP module checks for protocol field (1 byte long) in the IP header. If it is 0x06 then the packet is passed to the TCP module and if it is 0x11 then the packet is passed to the UDP module.

• Above the TCP or UDP there is application layer, where so many applications will be usually running. Information to each application will be passed based on ‘destination port number’ field (16 bit long) embedded inside the TCP or UDP header. TCP utilizes ‘sequence number field’ (32 bit long) for reassembly of all the IP data grams received at irregular time instants in irregular orders. For example FTP has dedicated port address 23 and Telnet has dedicated port address 21, which is used to deliver the data to each.

NissanConnect: What is Does?

NissanConnect^SM is an integrated audio, navigation, and communication system that connects with your smartphone to enhance your driving experience, and help minimize distractions. Controlled through a dash-mounted, centrally located screen, NissanConnect^SM is available with hands-free calling and texting, streaming audio, navigation, a collection of popular smartphone apps, and lots more.

As technology has continued to revolutionize the past few years, we are now seeing more and more of it in the everyday vehicles that we sell here at Boardman Nissan. One of these great innovations is the NissanConnect infotainment system. But what does NissanConnect do? Well, in short, just about everything.

The NissanConnect infotainment system was designed with the driver in mind. It is meant to make everything that would normally make driving dangerous, much easier to do by safely keeping both hands on the wheels. Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, drivers can sync their phone to NissanConnect and easily make phone calls, send SMS messages, and access third party apps from places like Facebook and Twitter. This means that in a world where information is key, you will never be kept out of the loop.

What Other Features Does NissanConnect Have?

While making phone calls and sending messages are cool and interesting features, they might not be enough to convince people how great the NissanConnect system is. Well, there is plenty more that goes along with it that might. For starters, an additional Navigation system is optional, which utilizes SiriusXM Traffic to give the driver live traffic updates, gas station locations, fuel prices and more.

Another neat feature that NissanConnect has to offer is SiriusXM Travel Link. This is your one stop shop to countless treasure troves of information. Here you can get information such as the latest sports scores, weather info, stock market updates, movies listings, and more. If you need information on something while you are driving, the SiriusXM Travel Link is a great place to start.

The NissanConnect system is available in most new Nissan vehicles.

What do connected services offer?

New NissanConnect system has full smartphone integration giving access to a range of projected upcoming music, social networking, entertainment and travel apps. NissanConnect is also Google-enabled featuring send-to-car (allowing users to send a satnav route to the car via their phone) and up-to-the-minute information on fuel prices, hotels, restaurants and other points of interest. NissanConnect also includes voice recognition, Bluetooth audio streaming and mobile phone integration as well as Aux-in and USB slots.

In which markets will these connected services be available?

The vast majority of Europe will be covered (Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Iceland, Kosovo, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Belarus)

Nissan and BMW bring Microsoft’s Cortana assistant to cars, which is comparable with i phone Siri

Cortana is an intelligent personal assistant created by Microsoft for Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile, Windows Phone 8.1 (where it now supersedes Bing Mobile), Microsoft Band, Xbox One, iOS and Android.

Cortana is a voice-controlled virtual assistant for Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1. Comparable to Siri, the intelligent assistant enabled on Apple devices, Microsoft’s Cortana will use the Bing search engine and data stored on the user’s smartphone by to make personalized recommendations.

Cortana can set reminders, recognize natural voice without the requirement for keyboard input, and answer questions using information from the Bing search engine (e.g., current weather and traffic conditions, sports scores, biographies)

Just days after teasing a Nissan and Cortana partnership, the car maker is unveiling its plans to integrate Microsoft’s digital assistant into some vehicles. Nissan is working directly with Microsoft on its Connected Vehicle Platform, which utilizes Azure, Cortana, and Office 365. Cortana will be available in cars and will adapt its preferences and features based on drivers and others in the vehicle.

Nissan demonstrated Cortana integration in a concept video of what will be possible with the digital assistant. Asking “what is my schedule” surfaces the usual functionality of Cortana’s calendar integration, but Nissan also demonstrated the ability for Cortana to understand and suggest shortcuts to destinations, and even options to download new maps overnight. At one point in the demo, Cortana even asks “shall I engage auto park?”

Nissan’s CES announcement follows a similar plan from BMW to also integrate Cortana into some cars as part of Microsoft’s Connected Vehicle vision. BMW plans to let drivers access Cortana through a dashboard screen, with the ability to access events, to-do lists, reminders, news, or any of the many other Cortana options.

Expanding on the partnerships, Microsoft says it plans to preview its Connected Vehicle Platform later this year. Microsoft is leveraging its cloud platform to allow manufacturers to build autonomous cars, maintain vehicles, and provide navigation and Cortana capabilities. “Microsoft is not building its own connected car,” explains Peggy Johnson, Microsoft’s business development executive. “Instead, we want to help automakers create connected car solutions that fit seamlessly with their brands.”

Microsoft also recently revealed that it’s planning to bring Cortana to fridges, toasters, and thermostats as part of an expansion of the digital assistant to IoT devices. While there aren’t any products or cars shipping with Cortana yet, these new partnerships could pave the way for Cortana to run across multiple devices inside and outside a home.

 

@info courtesy CES 2017

In future infotainment systems will replace with Holographic Touchscreen

A holographic screen is a two dimensional display technology that uses coated glass media for the projection surface of a video projector.The display design can use either front or rear projection, in which one or more video projectors are directed at the glass plate. Each projector’s beam widens as it approaches the surface and then is bundled again by the lenses’ arrangement on the glass. This forms a virtual point of origin, so that the image source appears to be an imaginary object somewhere close to the glass. In rear projection (the common use case), the light passes through the glass; in front projection it is reflected. 

 

BMW is showing off a holographic touchscreen at CES 2017: The future is coming :

Holographic interfaces will be the future of infotainment systems if BMW has anything to say about it. That’s right: Remember those fancy holographic interfaces you see on crime dramas and in sci-fi flicks? BMW wants to bring those into the cockpit someday.

The German motor company will be showing off something it calls “BMW HoloActive Touch” at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show. It functions how one might expect a holographic infotainment system to work. There’s a virtual touchscreen projected from a strange black slab by the center console that is operated through finger gestures made in open-air.

BMW says that commands to the infotainment system are confirmed to the driver through a perceived “tactile feedback.” We’re curious about how holograms can reach out and touch you back, but hey, anything is possible in the future.

 

Obviously, the big advantage/cool factor here is that every function can be controlled without any physical contact with materials. BMW was able to do this by combining some of its technologies used in current vehicles, such as a head-up display and the gesture control in the 5 and 7-Series. The actual floating display is visible to the driver through some fancy reflection work, and projects itself to the right of the steering wheel for easy driver access. When your fingertip comes into contact with something on the projected screen, a pulse is emitted and the image reacts to your input.

BMW says this technology is part of its i Inside Future study, which pertains to autonomously driven cars sometime in the future, so don’t expect to see it popping up in the next 3-Series any time soon. Let’s just hope the holographic screen of tomorrow is easier to navigate than most manufacturer’s infotainment screens are now

 

Automakers own most vehicle infotainment patents despite gains by Android Auto, Apple CarPlay

Autonomous self-driving technologies may be grabbing headlines for vehicle manufacturers but it’s hardly the only direction in which carmakers are innovating. Infotainment systems bring a smartphone-like platform for software applications straight to the dashboard, providing everything from navigation assistance to streaming music services and even phone call capabilities. Knob-based radio and air conditioning controls are being replaced by touch-sensitive displays and voice-controlled services connecting drivers and passengers to Internet-based services. According to market research reports, the market for in-car infotainment systems is expected to rise from $14.4 billion in 2016 up to $35.2 billion in 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking a look at the U.S. patent landscape for vehicle infotainment shows automakers far ahead of consumer electronics companies in terms of portfolio, a pattern which also plays out for autonomous vehicle patents as well. According to Innography’s patent portfolio analysis tools, the three largest vehicle infotainment patent portfolios belong to General Motors (NYSE:GM), Porsche Automobil (ETR:PAH3) and Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F). One-fifth of the market belongs to GM and the top three companies combined account for more than 40 percent of the U.S. patent market for vehicle infotainment systems. By contrast, Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) holds 3.9 percent of the market, tied with Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) and slightly ahead of Alphabet at 3.2 percent.

Ford, of Dearborn, MI, looks to take an early lead in this sector with the recent announcement that its entire lineup of 2017 vehicles will come with its Sync 3 infotainment technology. Sync 3 is the third generation of Ford’s infotainment technology. It can process voice commands, provides a touch-sensitive LCD screen and can pair with a smartphone to make additional apps available directly through the infotainment system.

Infotainment technologies are at the center of a patent application recently filed by Ford, U.S. Patent Application No. 20160167516, titled Method and Apparatus for Infotainment System Control Through a Wireless Device Operating-System-Independent Protocol. This patent application discloses a system including a wireless device processor that communicates wirelessly with a remote vehicle infotainment system, receives web-based control display instructions, displays an infotainment control interface, receives input through that interface and submits requests to control the interface based upon the received instructions. This technology allows for greater control of in-vehicle infotainment systems through a paired device such as a smartphone.

Last November, Ford added to its infotainment system patent portfolio with the issue of U.S. Patent No. 9191135, titled Contact Information Recognition System for External Textual Data Displayed by In-Vehicle Infotainment Systems. It protects a media content processor installed in a vehicle and having a control unit that locates contact information found in metadata fields descriptive of received media content and a display screen that displays the metadata fields. When contact information is displayed in a metadata field, the display also includes a user interface option associated with selecting the metadata field. This innovation makes greater use of metadata tagged to media content broadcast over the radio for display and use in an infotainment system. For example, this system would allow users to interact with phone number and social media metadata tagged to radio broadcasts for increased interaction with a radio station.

The recent announcement by Ford also underscores the continuing influence of major Silicon Valley companies in the auto manufacturing sector. The version of Sync 3 found in all 2017 Fords will also be compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, operating systems for vehicle infotainment units which have been developed respectively by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) of Cupertino, CA, and Mountain View, CA-based Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Both of these platforms sync compatible smartphones to infotainment display units to provide multimedia, navigation tools, phone calls and a variety of apps. The two systems also provide speech recognition for the use of voice commands.

One Apple technology involving the use of a portable electronic device in communication with an automobile is discussed in U.S. Patent No. 9351102, entitled Accessing a Vehicle Using Portable Devices. It protects a method for accessing a secured object which includes receiving an access credential at a portable electronic device to access the secured object and transmitting an additional access credential to a second portable device which enables access to the secured object through a direct connection. This innovation provides a means by which a first device can configure additional devices to access a certain vehicle via a Bluetooth connection.
Google’s developments related to infotainment systems can be seen in U.S. Patent Application No. 20160207400, which is titled Passenger Casted Content to Infotainment System. It would protect a method of determining a safety condition by a first mobile device associated with a driver, disabling a function of the first mobile device in response to determining the safety condition, receiving an infotainment system instruction from a second device and controlling the infotainment system according to the instruction. This system is designed to reduce driver distraction when accessing navigation tools or other infotainment system functions while the car is in motion. Control of the infotainment system is locked to the driver and is instead pushed to a device carried by a passenger in the vehicle.

Interestingly, although Android and iOS split the market in the smartphone world, the same isn’t true in the growing in-vehicle infotainment system market. Whereas you would only find one system operating on any given smartphone, vehicle manufacturers haven’t been showing a preference and instead have been incorporating both at the same time. South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. (KRX:005830) recently announced that both systems will be available on upgraded versions of its 2017 Sonata and Tucson. Japan’s Nissan Motor Co. (TYO:7201) only offers Apple CarPlay in its Maxima but a video released by the company indicates that future models may be compatible with both systems. A software update available in late July to vehicles made by South Korea’s Kia Motors (KRX:000270) allows owners to integrate both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into cars having Kia’s UVO infotainment systems. Making both systems available to consumers is likely more valuable to automakers who don’t want to lose out on sales simply because a potential customer doesn’t have a compatible smartphone.

Some companies are also developing aftermarket equipment options for car owners who want to retrofit their vehicles with infotainment systems. In late June, Japanese electronics developer JVC Kenwood (TYO:6632) began shipments of a 6.8-inch touchscreen receiver with RCA outputs, USB ports and Bluetooth connectivity. Compared to the dual system compatibility preferred by auto manufacturers, the JVC receiver currently only supports Apple CarPlay. An aftermarket receiver providing both systems has been developed by Japanese electronics company Pioneer Corporation (TYO:6773). That company has unveiled in-dash receivers offering both the Android and Apple systems at the most recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Android in-car infotainment goes way beyond Android Auto at Consumer Electronics Show[CES]2017

The 2017 CES was held January 5–8, 2017 in Las Vegas. At this year’s CES, the three companies, Panasonic, Qualcomm, and Google are taking Android to new places. Instead of just running phones or being mirrored on a car’s screen, the companies are showing off a standalone in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system that runs on the Android 7.0 Nougat operating system. The system includes everything to make it operational in a car, including the hardware, LTE modem, and the operating system.

Car manufacturers could purchase the system, then customize it with desired appearance and features. Think of it as how different phone companies, such as Samsung and HTC, have proprietary interfaces but still run on the same types of Android OS. Tom Gebhardt from Panasonic also says the system will be more future-proof, with the potential for “features beyond that of the next two IVI generations.” This would certainly reassure buyers that their car’s infotainment won’t be outdated within a couple of years. At the show, a demo will show how the system will be able to control apps that run on Android as well as vehicle systems such as the climate control.

A few year’s ago, it was reported that Google was developing a vehicle infotainment system that could access vehicle sensors and diagnostic equipment, recognizing things such as fuel level. If this system or a future version has this ability, it could both display information, such as fuel level, and even act on it. Perhaps it could use Google Maps and a gas price app to find the nearest and cheapest gas stations when it detects you’re nearly out of gas.

Additionally, Panasonic says this system has the ability to process video and support multiple screens. This could be a boon for in-car entertainment, possibly allowing each person access to a screen to stream movies or surf the web. Each person could adjust the car’s audio from their own screen, too.

We can also see the popularity of an Android-based system also leading to much simpler infotainment systems. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are among the easiest to use touchscreen interfaces on the market. If an Android IVI were to proliferate to most car manufacturers, our days of griping about complex and ugly OEM infotainment could be over.

Infotainment vs. Telematics Systems: What is the Difference?

Vehicle technology is not only becoming more widespread and more affordable each model year, but increasingly more complex. And with that, it can be difficult for vehicle shoppers –and even vehicle marketers– to distinguish between the common technologies on offer. This could be attributed to the marketing names given by the OEMs or their nuances in functionality.

Vehicle infotainment systems and vehicle telematics systems, in particular, are two technology features that often get confused as they both overlap in several areas, including use of the same display and user interface. Some OEMs have even combined these two systems as one (Exs.Kia Uvo, AcuraLink, Lexus Enform, and BMW ConnectedDrive), sometimes referred to as multimedia systems.

In this article, we’ve clarified some of the differences between these two systems to help consumers make well-informed decisions when purchasing their next vehicle.

What is a Vehicle Infotainment System?

Vehicle infotainment systems combine hardware and software to offer entertainment and information features including:

• GPS navigation
• Video players
• Music streaming
• SMS texting
• Hands-free calling
• USB and Bluetooth connectivity
• In-car internet
• WiFi

Infotainment systems offer some of drivers’ top desired features in a central interface, delivering greater utility than a smartphone plugged into the auxiliary jack. Drivers can talk hands-free with Bluetooth connectivity, receive GPS route guidance, watch movies or listen to music while driving – all at the same time. They are typically controlled by buttons, voice command, touchscreen, or a combination of these methods. These systems vary in ease of use, with some being non-intuitive and distracting while driving –even after the initial learning curve– and other systems more user-friendly and safe to operate while en route.

Consumers will often find infotainment systems pre-installed in cars and light-duty trucks from major automakers including BMW, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Mazda, Subaru, Toyota, Tesla, and others. While each automaker has their own branded infotainment system, Apple and Android also have infotainment systems that work similarly to the iPhone and Android devices, using the same operating systems. Consumers who are already used to their smartphone, and do not want to learn another technology, may enjoy using these infotainment systems instead of the OEM branded vehicle infotainment system.

These infotainment systems can be tethered to aftermarket stereos, so vehicles that lack built-in infotainment systems can be upgrade accordingly. Consumers can expect the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto platforms to be made available for all cars at some future date. View this article to learn more about infotainment systems on the market.

What is a Vehicle Telematics System?

As the “telematics” name suggests, a vehicle telematics system combines telecommunication and informatics. The primary differences between this system and the infotainment system are that a vehicle telematics system has two-way communication that sends, receives and stores information, but generally does not include entertainment features. Utilities commonly found in a vehicle telematics system include:

• Turn-by-turn navigation
• Remote access
• Notification of vehicle collision
• Vehicle location by GPS
• Control of vehicle speed
• Emergency calling
• Vehicle diagnostics and maintenance notifications

Typically, an onboard device provides informatics and telecommunications assistance, including vehicle diagnostics information, driver behavior, and location assist. Many of these functions run automatically without input from the driver. There are also many aftermarket telematics devices that connect to the OBD-II port, such as Intellimec .

Telematics systems do offer useful information for drivers, including “connected car” features like weather and live traffic. Some even integrate with social media. That said, their focus is on monitoring the vehicle, driver’s performance and safety, and not on entertaining drivers and passengers.

Information gathered by the telematics system may be used to communicate driver information to your auto insurer or to police after an accident or to help your mechanic diagnose auto problems. Fans of vehicle telematics systems expect that they will personalize the driving experience. For example, careful drivers can be rewarded with lower insurance premiums, known as Usage Based Insurance (UBI), courtesy of data gathered by the telematics system. This can benefit high-risk driver groups, such as teens or seniors, by no longer penalizing all group members for the poor driving habits of some.

This is another key distinction between telematics and infotainment; the former helps you drive safely and communicates externally, the latter is an entertainment and information system that only benefits drivers and passengers.

Vehicle infotainment systems can be seen as a luxury feature or add-on that’s been designed to appeal to consumers who want the latest gadgets in their car. Telematics systems, on the other hand, help automakers, insurers, and drivers and are more likely to be seen as a baseline safety feature in future generations of autos. Drivers of all vehicles can expect to see telematics pre-installed in their cars going forward.

With understanding of what these systems do, and how they differ, vehicle shoppers can understand what they are buying when their next car comes with one or both of these systems. And vehicle marketers can properly capture these features in their messaging.

NEW 2017 INDIAN RIDE COMMAND INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE REDEFINES ‘PREMIUM’ YET AGAIN WITH INDUSTRY-LEADING RIDE COMMAND INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM AND 2017 MODEL LINEUP

Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, today announced its lineup of Model Year 2017 bikes. The 2017 family carries forth all 2016 models including the recently released Scout Sixty, Indian Springfield, and Chieftain Dark Horse models, while featuring an array of new features, new color choices, awe-inspiring infotainment, and much more.

Ride Command Infotainment System

Indian Motorcycle raises the bar yet again, redefining the premium motorcycle segment with Ride Command, motorcycling’s most advanced yet user-friendly infotainment system. Sporting the industry’s largest and brightest touchscreen display, highest resolution and fastest response time, Indian Motorcycle masterfully fuses state-of-the-art technologies with truly remarkable styling. Fully integrated into the dash for an up-close rider experience, Ride Command offers an intuitive interface, customizable information displays, glove-compatible two-finger touch capabilities, and easy navigation to points of interest, like gas stations and restaurants. The breakthrough new Ride Command infotainment system comes standard on all 2017 Chieftain and Roadmaster models. Features include:

• 7-inch display, 800×480 pixels, 2-finger capacitive with swipe and pinch to zoom
• Fastest boot time – ready in about 10 seconds
• 100-watt premium audio system (Chieftain) output (Chieftain), 200-watt Roadmaster, with both touchscreen and handlebar audio controls
• Bluetooth audio, AM/FM/weather band, USB flash drive support with USB song shuffle
• GPS navigation with turn-by-turn directions, points of interest, compass, and more
• Critical information always displayed, like clock, air temperature, compass heading, fuel level and fuel range
• Convenient phone features available through easy Bluetooth pairing, including phonebook download, incoming call notification with name display, voice activated calling, incoming text notification, and more

  

  2017 Midsize Lineup

  Indian Scout – Riding a landslide of awards, accolades and phenomenal sales success, the ever-classic Indian Scout is back for 2017. This middle-weight cruiser’s weight has been reduced to 538 pounds (dry) and extends its legacy of dominance with perfect balance, precise handling and category-leading power and quickness. With a low 25.3-inch seat height and available extended and reduced reach accessories, the Indian Scout is the perfect bike for riders of many sizes and skill levels. Featuring a liquid-cooled 69 cubic inch V-twin engine, an exhilarating 100 HP of raw power, and starting at $11,299, the 2017 Indian Scout is the thoroughly modern rebirth of an American classic. Available in Ivory Cream, Thunder Black, Silver Smoke and Thunder Black Smoke. Indian Scout featuring ABS is offered in Burgundy Metallic plus a pair of two-tone finishes starting at $12,299.

  Scout Sixty – For 2017, the Scout Sixty returns in all its glory, encouraging riders to “Start Your Legend.” With the legendary handling and performance of the Scout, the Scout Sixty is offered at a very attainable $8,999 starting price. Powered by a potent 60 cubic inch engine mated to a silky smooth 5-speed transmission, this mid-size cruiser is arguably the best buy in motorcycling today. Available in Thunder Black and Pearl White. Scout Sixty with ABS is offered in Indian Motorcycle Red starting at $9,999.

  2017 Cruiser Lineup

  Chief Classic – Powered by the proven and award-winning Thunder Stroke 111 engine, the aptly named Chief Classic has set a new benchmark as the classic American cruiser. Its iconic lines, world-class finishes, heritage inspired design, balance, and unrivaled engineering make it the ultimate choice for pure cruiser enthusiasts. The 2017 Chief Classic is available starting at $18,499 and is available in Pearl White and Burgundy Metallic over Thunder Black two-tone.

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  Chief Vintage – The 2017 Chief Vintage is the ultimate retro-vintage bagger, turning heads with its classic styling, iconic soft-sided saddle bags crafted from Desert Tan Genuine Leather – dripping in fringe and Indian Motorcycle nostalgia. Featuring the classic power of the Thunder Stroke 111 engine, the Chief Vintage is offered in Thunder Black and three gorgeous two-tone vintage color schemes. MSRP starting at $19,999.

  Chieftain & Chieftain Dark Horse – Indian Motorcycle proudly offers riders an opportunity to “Lead the Pack” with two of America’s most commanding, versatile and awe-inspiring bikes. Both feature the Thunder Stroke 111 engine, TPMS, ABS, fairing with integrated driving lights and power windshield, cruise control, remote locking hard bags, keyless ignition, and much more. The Chieftain Dark Horse, starting at $21,999, is the newest addition to Indian’s bagger family. Sporting a premium 100W audio system and an ominous nose-to-tail matte black finish with minimal chrome for a menacing presence that refuses to be ignored. The Indian Chieftain starts at $23,999 and comes standard with the all-new Ride Command system, blasting out 100W of premium audio and all the infotainment features a rider leading the pack could ever want. The Chieftain is available in Thunder Black Pearl, White Smoke, Silver Smoke, and a pair of two-tone palettes.

  Indian Springfield – Named after the birthplace of Indian Motorcycle, the Indian Springfield offers classic styling blended with thoroughly modern technology for a purist’s take on both touring comfort and urban versatility. The Springfield can be quickly converted into a cruiser with the quick-release windshield and saddlebags removed, or transformed into a high-capacity touring model with Genuine Indian Motorcycle accessories. Remote locking hard bags and adjustable passenger floorboards come standard along with genuine leather seating, ABS, TPMS, cruise control, and a powerful headlight and dual driving lights. Indian Springfield is offered in Thunder Black or Indian Motorcycle Red. New for 2017 are stunning Steel Gray/Burgundy Metallic and Blue Sapphire/Star Silver two-tone finishes. Starting at $20,999.

  2017 Touring Lineup
  Indian Roadmaster – The Roadmaster returns for 2017 as the industry’s flagship tourer and the epitome of luxury and comfort. Powered by the rock solid Thunder Stroke 111 engine and offering nearly 38 gallons of storage, Roadmaster is “Your Ultimate Ride.” It offers a wealth of ergonomic luxury and innovations for rider and passenger alike, including a power-adjustable windscreen, heated grips, individually controlled heated seats for driver and passenger, ABS, TPMS, keyless ignition with remote locking storage, electronic cruise control and adjustable passenger floorboards. New for 2017, Roadmaster comes standard with the Ride Command infotainment system, delivering a glorious 200W premium audio experience, along with state-of-the-art GPS/Navigation, a 7-inch high-resolution touchscreen display, seamless Bluetooth integration, hands-free calling, a wealth of vehicle information, and more. Offered in Thunder Black, Burgundy Metallic, and three two-tone palettes starting at $28,999.

  Experience the 2017 Lineup at the 76th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

  Sturgis attendees are cordially invited to view the entire new 2017 lineup at the Indian Motorcycle Factory display on Lazelle St. throughout the rally, or to experience them firsthand with a Factory Demo Ride at 2100 Whitewood Service Road (I-90 at Exit 30) from August 6 – August 12 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. The entire family of 2017 models will be available for demo rides, including a selection of accessorized models.

  

 

@ info courtesy  Indian Motorcycle