Harman’s New OEM Tech CES NEWS
There’s no two ways about it, I would have LOVED to have gone over to Las Vegas for the CES this year. However, very little new aftermarket car stuff has been released in terms of wild innovation – although we have wind of an App-controlled amplifier from Phoenix Gold, which we shall follow up.
And Harman, the massive outfit behind JBL and a slew of top end consumer and professional electronics brands, known in the UK in car scene for their Logic7 OEM system in the Range Rover and many other cars, have had some literally fabulous stuff released for CES on the OEM front. There was a web cast for journos to go check it all out in advance (sadly at a UK unsocial hour across the end of a working day as it was Pacific Time and would have meant a costly taxi for MeJulie.) and there were releases sent out with strict embargo in advance. We seem to have issues getting images is all&;. But here is the stuff they sent us, in a big lump. To our readers, it is really only relevant if you are buying a brand new car and likely to be of general interest only, as one or two of these sorties is USA only anyway. But it is all so advanced, I figured you’d find it worth at least a cup of coffee’s worth of your attention&;
HARMAN Develops Scalable Infotainment Solution to Deliver Car-Centric Apps and Services through Android Platform
CES 2013, LAS VEGAS – HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group, is demonstrating its scalable platform solution, leveraging the Android for Automotive operating system, that meets the needs of today’s smartphone-oriented generation by safely bringing car-centric apps and services into the car.
‘The automotive industry can no longer innovate at its current pace, and HARMAN is helping OEMs create more flexible, scalable solutions that deliver leading connected solutions for tomorrow, today,’ said Dinesh Paliwal, HARMAN’s Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer. ‘This starts by creating an automotive-grade, intuitive user interface in the car that also delivers the connected experience consumers are accustomed to on their mobile devices.’
The HARMAN app-centric infotainment concept platform shepherds a new era for in-car experiences that more effectively connects drivers to their digital worlds – the home, the office, friends and the cloud – in ways that are easy, fun, personalized and intuitive.
Key features in the new infotainment system include:
Car-Centric Applications and Services
HARMAN’s new infotainment system is designed for safe use in the car with one-touch access to the features drivers value and expect in today’s system – media, navigation, telephony, applications, and other settings. By placing these tabs at the bottom of every screen, drivers can easily and quickly find what they need while staying alert and keeping their attention focused on the road.
HARMAN is further minimising distractions on the road by integrating sensitive icons in its new infotainment system that ‘grow’ in size as a driver’s finger approaches the system touch screen. This ensures that the touch targets are big enough for users to find quickly the first time.
A new HARMAN curated applications store makes it easy and safe for drivers to enjoy the latest applications in the car. Using the new platform, consumers can discover and download versions of applications from streaming radio, audio book services, or the latest social media feeds that are developed or adapted specifically for the automotive environment. Because of the flexible design, the infotainment system is ‘future-proof,’ meaning it can add or remove apps easily as new applications are invented or made available.
Using the new infotainment system, consumers have added flexibility to bring their content into the car with them. HARMAN makes it easy for drivers to access content on their iPods, smartphones and iPads by providing wired and wireless interfaces that are optimized for the driving environment. This includes media and applications that are running on consumer mobile devices, as well as those connecting via cloud-based services like Siri and Google Voice Search.
Intuitive and Customizable Interfaces
To make the infotainment experience their own, drivers can select which applications correspond with specific tabs. For example, some drivers may prefer having the on-board navigation application launch when they press the Navigation button. Others may want Google Maps to launch when they press the Navigation button. HARMAN has also provided drivers a central place to access all of the features that they interact with the most. These applications and services can be saved in a Favourites tab using one-touch access.
HARMAN’s new infotainment system also delivers other key pieces of information that are useful to drivers. HARMAN is collaborating with companies such as iOnRoad to help drivers increase visibility and awareness of their driving environment. Warnings to alert drivers as they approach another car or if they unintentionally change lanes help keep everyone on the road safe. HARMAN is working with other solutions providers to continue evolving 360 degree views of the vehicle to assist with parking, provide rear camera views and warnings, and other applications.
In the future, the HARMAN system will be able to ‘learn’ what the driver interacts with the most, and automatically add these choices to the Favourites screen – minimising the need for the driver to do this manually. In addition, future systems will have the ability to store multiple profiles, so that each driver can enjoy a personalized infotainment experience adapted to their preferences. This includes unique Favourites screens, as well as personalized music preferences, calendars and seat positions.
Security is Paramount
To protect the vehicle bus and other critical features, HARMAN has created a virtualized platform where the core and car-centric applications and services run on the proven QNX operating system, and the User Interface and downloaded applications run in the Android for Automotive environment. By taking this approach, HARMAN’s platform uses the best of both worlds – the proven performance and stability of QNX and the flexibility and extensibility of Android for Automotive.
(Whew, some real corporate jargon in there. Gosh I hate ‘leveraging’ as a verb&;.. Ed)
CES 2013: HARMAN Combines Connectivity, Productivity And Entertainment In New BMW Premium Infotainment System
Seamless connectivity and convenience for in-car infotainment now available in the USA in a range of BMW cars
CES 2013, LAS VEGAS – HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group, is proud to showcase the US launch of its content-rich infotainment system for BMW. Forming the core of the BMW ‘ConnectedDrive’ experience, the HARMAN premium infotainment unit delivers a seamless experience into the vehicle combining wireless connectivity, enhanced navigation and even productivity applications that transform the car into a mobile office – all safely and intuitively. The HARMAN premium infotainment system for BMW delivers an excellent experience today, and is ready for tomorrow thanks to its upgradeable software architecture. The system is being demonstrated at CES onboard the BMW 3-series vehicle in the HARMAN booth.
Working in partnership with BMW, HARMAN has incorporated new infotainment features such as a special ‘birds-eye’ view with realistic 3D city models, advanced guiding and new location-based services such as weather information. Entering destinations is a ‘one-shot’ action, with the city, street and building number all in one natural sequence. A high-resolution 1280×480 display and 1.3GHz processor provide sharp clarity and detail, enabling HARMAN engineers to create a human machine interface (HMI) that supports 3D menus, thereby streamline choices and minimize driver distraction. Since every gram of weight is an important consideration to automakers, HARMAN has also drawn on its extensive experience to maintain feature content while managing heat production, system weight and package size to reduce car emissions and maintain an ideal fuel efficiency.
Connected With The World
With a clear focus on simplifying the complexity of connecting to consumer devices, the HARMAN premium infotainment system for BMW offers a number of industry firsts: without out taking their hands off the wheel or eyes off the road, drivers can dictate short emails, texts or voice memos to be composed and sent later or instantly via mobile uplink. To simplify connectivity to Facebook, internet radio and other services, the head unit also includes an embedded BMW iPhone App with the option to load third party apps in the future.
‘This system earns its claim to being the most advanced infotainment system on the market,’ says Michael Mauser, executive vice president and co-president Infotainment and Lifestyle. ‘We’re delighted it’s now available to BMW drivers in the USA also. It shows the way forward for in-car infotainment systems – with more intuitive operation, seamless connectivity, safety and convenience.’
The latest premium infotainment innovations by Harman for BMW are premiering this month in the US and will be available onboard a wide range of BMW models, including the 7-, 5- and 3-series vehicles.
(Great if you are USA BMW brand new buyer&;.Ed.)
HARMAN Addresses Market For Entry-Level Infotainment With New Connected Radio Platform
CES 2013, LAS VEGAS – HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group (NYSE:HAR), announced today an expansion of the company’s infotainment portfolio with the new HARMAN connected radio platform. Targeted at the mainstream entry-level segment, the new HARMAN platform delivers a value solution to OEMs including leading-edge mobile content integration features as well as a seamless radio experience for consumers.
‘The pervasiveness of today’s mobile devices and connected experiences is fuelling greater consumer demand for easy and safe access to information, entertainment and personalized content in cars,’ said Dinesh Paliwal, HARMAN Chairman, President, and CEO. ‘We are making it possible for more consumers to enjoy a high-quality infotainment experience as well as making it even simpler and safer to use, thanks to features such as hands-free operation and integration with the user’s own smartphone.’
The unit offers clear benefits to automakers: with the same cost of basic radio, OEMs can add smartphone connectivity with HARMAN’s AHA radio, turn-by-turn navigation and voice prompts into their vehicles, as well as meet fast development cycles and delivery.
The HARMAN connected radio supports a range of external user devices, including USB, SD, MP3 players including iPod, and a wide range of smart phones. Using the same NFC technology employed in HARMAN’s high-end infotainment products, consumers can easily connect their smartphones with the head unit in-vehicle. The head unit then uses the driver’s preferred navigation app straight from the Smartphone.
Additional key features of HARMAN connected radio include:
Integration with AHA Radio, the first interactive platform that organizes Web-based content into personalized, live and on-demand radio stations that consumers can access anywhere
Turn-by-turn navigation via Smartphone app with spoken and visual instructions
Hands-free phoning via Bluetooth – the microphone is automatically turned on when a call comes in
Also available as a packaged option with Harman branded audio technology, automotive OEMs can combine the HARMAN connected radio with an immersive HARMAN sound system to deliver an enhanced in-car acoustic experience using any of the company’s leading audio brands.
CES 2013 Las Vegas: HARMAN Showcases Premium Infotainment Technologies For Connected In-Car Safety And Entertainment
Augmented navigation, gesture control, high speed networking, brilliant graphics, and smart connectivity are brought together for the ultimate in-car premium infotainment experience.
CES 2013, LAS VEGAS – HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group, is unveiling its vision for tomorrow’s premium infotainment experience that leverages advanced safety and entertainment innovations including interactive head-up displays with augmented navigation, touch-free gesture controls, and the latest connectivity options.
Safety First
As the automotive sector pushes the boundaries of multimedia connectivity in the vehicle, exciting opportunities are emerging. Far from being a distraction, seamless in-vehicle access to road conditions, real-time traffic, and other media is key to driver safety. The new infotainment concept from HARMAN combines the latest in seamless connectivity solutions such as 4G/LTE to combine navigation data with a variety of external data to offer the driver richer safety data and driver assistance features. The concept is based around a ‘multi-display’ concept, where the in-dash centre console, instrumentation cluster, and head-up display are fully integrated.
The multi-display concept takes the breadth and depth of information available to a driver to a new level and also makes driver interaction safer than ever. HARMAN’s augmented navigation creates a ‘Virtual Reality’ guidance experience, projecting guidance aids such as upcoming exits, signals, or collision warnings onto the windshield – helping keep the drivers’ eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
The unit includes advanced safety features to enable the vehicle to interact with its driver via the head-up display – for example, giving the driver an instant, unmissable cue (visual, audio or both) that the vehicle is leaving its lane, or that there is another vehicle in the driver’s blind spot. All this information is projected directly into the driver’s line of vision via the head-up display – the eyes don’t have to leave the road, and thus don’t have to change focus. Operation of the unit is totally touch-free: drivers change the display content safely by gesture control. 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.
‘We’re delighted to be introducing this exciting new system,’ says Michael Mauser, executive vice president and co-president Infotainment and Lifestyle. ‘It’s a totally logical step for us. The automotive sector is moving to ever greater in-car connectivity and multimedia, and HARMAN, with its groundbreaking in-vehicle infotainment solutions, is ideally positioned to make this technology part of the smart, responsive control systems in an advanced head-up display. There are some great synergies just waiting to be used.’
Highly Connected And Touch-Free
The new head-up unit has a spacious display area, high resolution and excellent colour depth, giving drivers the detail and clarity they need to interpret information feeds instantly. Navigation is easier than ever, with the guidance arrows projected into the driver’s view. The head-up unit is also designed for maximum convenience, with a face recognition feature to identify drivers and automatically adjust settings such as seat position. For seamless high-end connectivity, the unit features LTE capabilities and an in-car Wi-Fi hotspot for streaming content such as email and weather updates. Drivers and passengers can hook up their own devices with minimum fuss, bringing greater entertainment choices into the car.
In the ‘Smart Cities’ of the future, the vehicle control unit can even be connected to the city infrastructure. It will know how long the car has to wait for example at a red light, and depending on driver preferences can use this time to stream email or messages to the head-up display. As ever, safety is paramount – the unit never challenges the driver more than the traffic situation allows, and the infostream is turned off before the lights go green. Accordingly, every generation can enjoy a relaxed yet aware driving experience – not just older drivers who will appreciate the responsiveness of the system, but also younger ‘digital natives’ who will like the connectivity and multimedia options.
Uconnect Infotainment System By HARMAN For Chrysler Rolls Out On Global Car Lines
Launches Uconnect 8.4A and 8.4AN in SRT Viper this Month; HARMAN to Demo Offering with SRT Viper at CES Booth #10431, Central Hall
CES 2013, LAS VEGAS – HARMAN (NYSE:HAR), the premium global audio and infotainment group (NYSE:HAR), along with Chrysler Group, announced today at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES), it will roll out the latest generation infotainment offering for Chrysler Group globally. The Uconnect system by HARMAN delivers the latest connectivity features for Chrysler customers, with the flexibility to support these needs as they evolve and as next-generation functionality comes to the car. The Harman-built infotainment system will launch Uconnect 8.4A and 8.4AN onboard the all-new 2013 SRT Viper lines.
HARMAN designed the Uconnect 8.4A and 8.4AN to facilitate a fully integrated infotainment experience within one solution, meaning all feature components including wireless modem, GPS, voice recognition functionality and more are built into a single hardware platform instead of delivered as separate components. This latest Uconnect solution from HARMAN safely and securely delivers a broad range of connected lifestyle services, as well as apps such as HARMAN’s own Aha Radio, all supported by automatic software updates delivered via Web connectivity.
‘The extension to our long-standing relationship with Chrysler Group is amazing validation of our infotainment offering,’ said Dinesh Paliwal, Harman’s Chairman, President and CEO. ‘With Uconnect, we will deliver to Chrysler Group and its customers a high performance system that offers scalable, next-generation features people crave.’
Uconnect 8.4A and 8.4AN are on the market now and will roll out across Chrysler Group and Fiat brand vehicles in the coming months. Product features include:
Rolling Hotspot – Uconnect offers an integrated phone modem for seamless connectivity allowing drivers to create a rolling Wi-Fi hotspot for passengers to access the Internet while on-the-go. HARMAN enables drivers to keep in touch while keeping both hands on the wheel with its innovative mobile connectivity solutions that link users to the Web, email and even social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
Safer and Easier Use – The large 8.4 inch touch screen as well as extensive voice recognition technology make it safer and easier for drivers to operate. The system interface ensures that each function is accessible with minimal user distraction and maximum ease of use. Uconnect also touts One-Shot Destination Entry allowing drivers to say the destination in one sentence and immediately route to the location.
Connected Apps/Emergency Response – Uconnect 8.4A and 8.4AN will offer drivers access to connected apps through features such as HARMAN’s Aha Radio, as well as Pandora and IHeartRadio as well as offer emergency and car care features including the ability to unlock doors, automatic start and an emergency crash response that alerts emergency responders if the car is in an accident. The Wi-Fi connection allows the system to automatically update itself and the applications.
Best-in-Class Navigation – HARMAN’s integration expertise in best-in-class navigation also delivers rich new detail for map and travel data. Users have access to 3D navigation views that offer increased realism, helping drivers to safely select the appropriate route via a City Model function and Google Street View. 3-D terrain models based on Google Maps data provide additional detail such as road elevation, presenting route data to the driver in the most intuitive manner.
Bing Search Functionality – The custom navigation solution is designed for compatibility with Bing internet search engine, allowing drivers to search a location and route to the destination safely.
Sirius Weather and Traffic – Drivers have access to dynamic route guidance with Uconnect 8.4AN’s embedded Real Time Traffic information as well as to Sirius weather updates.
Another one that is just for USA car buyers – but it does show the direction that OEM is heading in. Ed.
And finally:
CES 2013, LAS VEGAS – HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group (NYSE:HAR), today introduced QuantumLogic 3D, a powerful new technology that brings an unmatched three-dimensional surround sound experience to in-car audio. Built upon HARMAN’s patented QuantumLogic Surround (QLS) digital signal processing technology, QuantumLogic 3D accurately identifies and redistributes audio streams, and incorporates additional audio streams that are reproduced via overhead speakers to create an unmatched three-dimensional surround experience.
HARMAN’s QLS innovations reflect years of research into the science of sound perception and advanced signal processing along with an intimate knowledge and expertise in acoustics, recording and playback technologies. QLS-3D technology is compatible with mono, stereo, and multi-channel content and creates a natural three-dimensional sound field without the artificial effects used by competitive surround sound technologies. QuantumLogic 3D technology is available today for all automotive OEMs, and provides an important differentiator for automotive manufacturers looking to stand out with their premium audio offerings.
The roll out of QuantumLogic 3D expands HARMAN’s lead in the exploration of the use of surround sound in consumer and professional environments where QLS has already been called one of the most important advancements in audio since stereo. While the move from mono to stereo clearly represented a significant music industry landmark, the impact of QLS-3D is poised to become the reference standard for three-dimensional audio playback for music and video sources of the future.
‘Our extensive experience in digital signal processing for home and automotive applications, the accuracy of the QLS-3D algorithm and its ability to create an entirely new listening experience uniquely positions HARMAN as a leader in three-dimensional surround,’ said Sachin Lawande, executive vice president and co-president, Lifestyle and Infotainment. ‘Through the introduction of technologies such as QLS-3D we’re working with our automotive partners to enable even more possibilities for in-car audio.’
QuantumLogic 3D uses proprietary algorithms to extract audio streams (voices, instruments and spatial information) from the music source. The Aesthetic Engine, the brain behind QLS psychoacoustic intelligence, then identifies and sends those audio streams to the appropriate speaker locations depending on the listening environment. By design, QLS-3D uses only sources from the original material and does not add special effects, like reverberation, to create a three-dimensional surround experience. Embedded spectral and spatial qualities are maintained in a way that remains true to the integrity of the original recording. QLS-3D multi-channel surround sound output is compatible with all system architectures and will meet progressive content challenges to ensure today’s consumers receive the best audio experience well into the future.
A concept QuantumLogic 3D audio system will be available for demonstration at HARMAN’s technology showcase at The Palms during CES 2013 by appointment only.
Well, I cannot wait until some that stuff is here in the UK Ed