Texas Instruments introduces comprehensive system solution for connected car infotainment

Recently, Texas Instruments (TI) announced a comprehensive system solution for connected car infotainment systems, which is based on TI's more than 10 years of experience in developing automotive infotainment system solutions. TI's unparalleled solution perfectly combines leading automotive infotainment processors, wireless connectivity solutions, analog solutions and an optimized software industry environment to enable feature-rich automotive applications such as automotive infotainment head units, rear seat entertainment devices, radios and navigation tools.

TI will demonstrate its latest automotive infotainment solutions at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at the Grand Lisboa Casino in Las Vegas, January 11-14 (Beijing time). For more information, please visit www.ti.com.cn/solution/cn/automotive_infotainment .

"Mobile consumers are accustomed to an always-on, multimedia-rich lifestyle enabled by smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, and these demands are dictating the direction of future technology development," said Matthew Watson, TI's audio and infotainment product line manager. "As similar features move into the automotive market, TI is uniquely positioned to unify the technologies needed to deliver the next generation of automotive infotainment features consumers expect. Our comprehensive solutions combine feature-rich processing, wireless connectivity and optimized software to help automotive customers stay ahead of the curve and deliver products that consumers can trust."

Automotive Infotainment Processors: Bringing Realistic Visuals and Innovative Multimedia Experiences to Car Entertainment

TI's C6000™ "Jacinto" automotive infotainment processors and automotive-grade OMAP™ mobile processors enable first-class visual computing and entertainment for drivers and passengers. These processors include dedicated 3D graphics accelerators and video coprocessors, support full HD 1080p video playback and streaming, and graphical user interfaces, taking the driving dashboard and rear-seat multimedia and multitasking experience to a whole new level. TI's C6000 Jacinto automotive infotainment processors integrate digital signal processors (DSPs) to help automotive OEMs add real-time radio, audio, voice and other innovative features to a variety of applications.

The intelligent multi-core architecture of TI's OMAP processors delivers the high performance and low power required to gather and display information and multimedia in real time. A unique feature of the processor is that it can handle the highest level of applications running in parallel at very low power. This helps automakers support a variety of instrument cluster and passenger functions with a single processor without compromising performance.

C6000 Jacinto and OMAP processors support the industry's broadest range of standards and codecs, including HTML5, giving automakers a high degree of flexibility to upgrade vehicle features and services based on consumer demand during the life of the vehicle. Customers can choose to use C6000 Jacinto or OMAP processors based on the end application and the processing power required, and if they develop on one TI processor, they can migrate to the other, enabling software reuse between platforms.

Wireless connectivity: turning your car into a mobile hotspot

TI's latest automotive-qualified WiLink™ 7.0 (WL128x-Q) and BlueLink™ 7.0 (BL6450-Q) combined connectivity solutions are the best choice for automotive designs, building on its proven success over several generations of mobile devices. WiLink 7.0 is the industry's first and only solution to integrate Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, GPS and FM technologies in a true single chip, addressing a wide range of automotive connectivity options. The unmatched coexistence of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in the WiLink 7.0 solution enables true multitasking in the car. For example, the chip can turn a car into a Wi-Fi hotspot while managing concurrent phone streaming over Bluetooth technology without losing connectivity.

WiLink 7.0 and BlueLink 7.0 solutions not only accelerate the design process through connectivity pre-integration and certification, but also scale to meet the needs of multiple product lines and generations, which protects manufacturers' investments and enables further innovation. Automotive certification of parts helps manufacturers gain the advantages of commercial feature sets while maintaining the highest reliability. TI allows customers to choose to use all radios or a subset of features on the integrated connectivity chip, which maximizes software reuse and flexibility. Because WiLink 7.0 and BlueLink 7.0 solutions can meet these requirements, they can stand out from a variety of competing automotive products.

Software Industry Environment: Accelerating Innovation

TI's automotive infotainment solutions are supported by a rich ecosystem of infotainment-specific software, including multiple advanced operating systems and a rich developer network, which can accelerate time to market and simplify design work. The software ecosystem includes QNX Software Systems Limited, a member of the TI Developer Network.

"For nearly a decade, QNX and TI have worked closely together to bring world-class automotive infotainment experiences to drivers and passengers," said Linda Campbell, director of strategic alliances, QNX Software Systems. "The latest QNX CAR™ 2 application platform running on TI's C6000 Jacinto and OMAP processors will support high-performance multimedia and highly robust interface applications, enabling accelerated HTML5 web browsing and a high level of automotive integration including innovative applications, connectivity and software-defined radio (SDR). We are pleased to work with TI to deliver technology that simplifies development and customization, accelerating time to market for manufacturers."

In addition, TI's Linux® In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) solution provides an open source starting point for development based on TI's C6000 Jacinto automotive infotainment processors. Using Linux IVI, developers can easily integrate World Radio with Linux-based SDRs, while also enabling audio and video playback (1080p HD video) and advanced graphics capabilities.

Availability

For more information, pricing and downloads on the C6000 Jacinto automotive infotainment processors, please contact your local TI representative.

Analog Automotive Solutions

Come meet TI at CES in Suite 473 of the Las Vegas Hilton to see live demonstrations of TI analog automotive solutions, including high-efficiency Class-D audio amplifiers, the industry's best digital video link solution with content protection and the latest touchscreen technology enabled by TI semiconductor solutions.