In-car intelligent multimedia leads the discussion on automotive technology at CES

The 2013 CES (International Consumer Electronics Show) has just concluded in Las Vegas. In addition to those electronic products full of creativity, fantasy and even charm, some automobile manufacturers also exhibited vehicle-related technologies and products. When electronic technology, the Internet and traditional vehicles are integrated, a more intelligent and convenient car driving experience is gradually coming to light.

CES is hosted by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) of the United States, and aims to promote the close integration of cutting-edge electronic technology and modern life. The exhibition started in 1967 and has a history of 46 years. It has become a window for major global electronic product companies to release product information, display high-tech levels and advocate future lifestyles. We also divide the automotive-related technologies at this exhibition into three categories: one is driverless cars; one is in-vehicle multimedia systems; and the other is electronic technology and technology surrounding vehicles.

Self-driving cars

Lexus

At the exhibition, Lexus exhibited a driverless prototype car that can identify roads and make corresponding judgments and actions. Engineers installed various sensors on an LS600h, including a laser rangefinder on the roof, and other devices such as high-definition cameras and radars, which can be used to identify static and moving objects around and determine their position and distance from the vehicle, so as to fully understand the situation around the vehicle.

According to the staff, the research on unmanned driving system will lead the automotive industry into a new era of automation, but the current Lexus system can only achieve automatic driving strictly speaking. It is equivalent to a co-pilot who can see and hear everything to assist the driver at all times, thereby improving driving safety. If we want to truly realize unmanned driving, there are still many technical problems and related supporting measures that need to be solved.

Audi

In addition to Lexus, Audi announced at the exhibition that they have obtained a driverless vehicle testing license issued by the state of Nevada, USA, and are conducting corresponding tests. Audi is also the second company to obtain this license after Google.

According to Audi staff, Audi started researching driverless vehicles very early. Currently, they have installed this system on an Audi TTS and are testing and improving this driverless system through various road conditions. Similar to Lexus, it cannot achieve true driverless driving. Its main function is still to assist the driver to improve driving safety. In traffic jams and high-speed cruising, the system can also greatly reduce the burden on the driver.

When it comes to driverless or autonomous driving technology, many manufacturers are currently conducting corresponding research. In fact, we can regard the automatic cruise and automatic following systems that are currently used in vehicles as low-level autonomous driving technologies. In addition to the technical problems of the vehicle itself, the surrounding roads must also be upgraded and renovated accordingly to achieve true driverless driving. In addition, there is another biggest practical problem that hinders the promotion of this technology, that is, the issue of liability determination for collision accidents caused by vehicles in the autonomous driving state, which requires corresponding legislation and public recognition. Therefore, driverless or autonomous driving is still far away from us ordinary consumers.

● In-vehicle multimedia system

Visteon e-Bee concept car

At the 2012 German Electronics Show, Visteon, an American auto parts supplier, exhibited a concept car called e-Bee, and it did not miss this year's CES. On the surface, this is a display of a concept car, but in fact, Visteon is using the vehicle to showcase the in-vehicle multimedia system and flexible and intelligent design concepts.

The e-Bee concept car is based on the Nissan LEAF and is powered by electricity. Its interior and multimedia system are redesigned by Visteon. It depicts the qualities that cars should have in 2020: when you approach the car and sit in it, the car will automatically adjust the seat and rearview mirror for you. At the same time, your schedule for the day will be displayed on the display screen and navigation will be automatically provided for you. When passengers enter the car, they can connect their mobile phones or tablets to the Internet through the wireless hotspot in the car.

The e-Bee concept car has three screens at the driver's seat. The middle screen is mainly used to display vehicle speed, navigation information, etc. The screens on both sides of the steering wheel can be touched. The left touch screen can control the lights, air conditioning and reversing radar, while the right one can control the infotainment system in the car. There is also a display screen at the rearview mirror position, which can display a 180° view of the rear of the vehicle.

The e-Bee concept car is equipped with an in-vehicle multimedia system called "Mid-Range". In addition to supporting Bluetooth, navigation, digital audio and other functions, it also incorporates wireless networks and NFC short-range communication technologies to facilitate the connection between the vehicle and various mobile devices, making the vehicle as intelligent as a mobile phone.

Subaru Starlink Technology 

At the exhibition, Subaru demonstrated a set of driving experience technologies called Starlink, which can seamlessly connect smartphones with the in-vehicle multimedia system and integrate well with Subaru's eyeSight driver assistance system. The technology is expected to be first installed on the overseas versions of the 2013 Outback, Legacy and 2014 Forester.

With this system, you can introduce smartphone applications into the cab, directly access music, news, games, e-books and other applications in your phone through the multimedia system, and easily exchange data through cloud technology.

Subaru's eyeSight driver assistance system monitors the road ahead through cameras located on both sides of the rearview mirror inside the car, and can realize multiple functions such as pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, collision warning, lane departure warning, etc. Combined with the in-vehicle multimedia system, it can achieve a safer driving experience through images and other means.

This in-vehicle multimedia technology integrates smartphones and driving safety systems to help car owners use various smart applications during daily driving without affecting normal driving, while minimizing risks through eyeSight active safety technology.

Garmin K2 instrument panel with integrated multimedia entertainment system

Garmin is an electronic technology company from Taiwan that is dedicated to the development of navigation systems. At this CES, the company demonstrated a dashboard that integrates an in-car multimedia system. It can be said that the traditional navigation system is also planning a gorgeous transformation under the trend of in-car multimedia systems becoming more and more popular.

In the center of the vehicle's dashboard is a multi-touch screen that can display maps, audio, calendar and other information. When the system is connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth, prompts will be given on the driver's dashboard when there are incoming calls, text messages and emails, but for safety reasons, the specific content of the information text is not displayed. Car owners can use voice commands to let the system read out the information. At the same time, voice commands can also be used to realize functions such as navigation, weather, and news reading.

Rear projection display technology (DLP) replacing LCD touch screens

Texas Instruments, a well-known American electronic component manufacturer, demonstrated its leading rear-projection display technology, which will replace the LCD touch screens that have been widely used in vehicles in the future.

LCD touch screens cannot be molded into any shape due to technical limitations, and larger LCDs also mean higher costs. Texas Instruments can achieve diversified screen shapes by using digital light processor (DLP) technology, which can achieve multi-touch on the entire center console surface of the car and allow people to operate it while wearing gloves.

With the help of DLP technology, a vehicle head-up display system with higher clarity and richer colors can be realized. Navigation and various driving information can be projected onto the front windshield and operated by touch. This display method does not require the driver to be distracted and is full of technology.

GM and Ford each develop more in-car apps

In-car multimedia systems are already developing in the direction of smartphones, and how to make them as easy to use as smartphones is the next goal of all manufacturers. At this exhibition, General Motors and Ford respectively exhibited their future-oriented in-car multimedia systems.

GM has already integrated the MyLink and Intellilink systems into its Chevrolet and Buick brand vehicles. The new version of the MyLink system will use an interface similar to a smartphone and will be first used in the Chevrolet Impala.

GM believes that compared with the number of apps developed for smartphones today, the number of applications for in-vehicle multimedia systems is pitifully small. The future development trend is that car owners hope to download more in-vehicle applications to get a better experience. Such applications directly integrated into the in-vehicle multimedia system can utilize various information data of the vehicle to help drivers save fuel, calculate fuel efficiency, and improve the driving skills of car owners. The fuel-saving results can even be shared online for competitive ranking. GM even believes that certain applications will affect consumers' car purchasing intentions.

Ford announced at the show that it would add nine new applications to its SYNC in-car multimedia system. Together with the 10 applications released last year, the number of applications on the SYNC system has now reached 19. These may not be enough, and Ford also believes that it is necessary to develop more applications to meet user needs.

Ford's SYNC system can be connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth or a data cable, and then the smartphone's applications can be operated through voice commands. With the help of the rich applications of the mobile phone to meet the needs of users to a certain extent, in order to make Ford's SYNC system a global platform, Ford cooperated with Sina in China to add the Weibo application to it, so that we can command the vehicle to automatically read out Weibo information.

● Automotive related electronic technologies

HD Voice Bluetooth Supertooth

Nowadays, many vehicles are equipped with a car Bluetooth system, which can connect to mobile phones via Bluetooth, and then the driver can make and receive calls by simply pressing the buttons on the vehicle. Perhaps some people are not satisfied with the call quality, so at this exhibition, a manufacturer launched a super voice Bluetooth system.

This super Bluetooth system has two built-in speakers and two microphones. Its biggest feature is that it can realize high-definition voice calls. At the same time, through voice commands, users can directly say the name of the contact, and the system will automatically find the contact and make a call. However, we are not sure about the accuracy of voice recognition, which is also the biggest problem of voice command function today.

The built-in battery of the Super Bluetooth system can guarantee 20 hours of talk time and 1,000 hours of standby time, and it can be charged through the 12V power supply in the car. Since it has no corresponding interface to connect with the in-car multimedia system, its design concept is still portable, and it can be taken to any place after getting off the car. Its current retail price is US$79.

3D sound system

At this exhibition, Audi equipped a Q7 model with a 3D sound system developed in cooperation with the world-renowned sound manufacturer B&O. This in-car 3D sound system has 24 speakers installed on the dashboard, A-pillar, D-pillar, front door, rear door and trunk of the vehicle. Each speaker is controlled by a digital microprocessor, combined with 24 channels and a power amplifier system specially designed for 3D sound to achieve 3D effects, and the power of the entire sound system has reached 1800W.

This 3D sound system can switch between normal 2D and 3D modes. According to the description of those who have listened to it on site: in 2D mode, the auditory experience has reached the top level of current car audio systems. When switched to 3D mode, it feels like the curtain in a concert hall slowly opens, and you will feel that there is a whole band playing for you, and the music details become richer, as if you are actually there.

It should be said that the audio decoding device is very important for achieving 3D sound effects. By decoding the audio signal, the human voice, musical instruments and background sound are separated, and then they are transmitted to each speaker respectively, combined with a 24-channel 24-speaker system to achieve 3D sound effects. It is expected that this 3D sound system will be installed as an option on Audi's flagship model starting in 2014.

Delphi Portable On-Board Data Diagnostic Device

Delphi launched a portable on-board data diagnostic device at the exhibition. It is about the size of a deck of playing cards. By connecting it to the OBD-Ⅱ interface of the car (usually located under the A-pillar of the vehicle), it can obtain the vehicle's status and diagnostic information, and can also realize GPS positioning and remote control functions.

To achieve the above functions, the assistance of communication operators is indispensable. Therefore, Delphi cooperated with Verizon, an American wireless communication company. In addition to connecting the device to the car, the car owner also needs to download a software program to his mobile phone, and then the car owner can grasp the vehicle status information in real time, including vehicle maintenance information reminders, vehicle fault codes, etc. The car owner can also remotely lock and unlock the vehicle door through the mobile phone.

If the vehicle is lent to others, the owner can also use the device to monitor the vehicle in real time, including the vehicle's instant speed, location information, etc. It can also be used to recover stolen vehicles. It should be said that it is very suitable for car rental companies.

Summarize:

It can be seen from this exhibition that today's driverless technology is still far away from us due to the problem of accident responsibility determination, and there are still many technical difficulties that need to be overcome.

With the rapid development of the electronics industry, consumers want to use automotive electronic systems as easily as smartphones and tablets, and this demand is increasing day by day. At this exhibition, both automobile manufacturers and related electronic technology companies are providing products that can combine smartphones, the Internet and in-vehicle multimedia systems. At the same time, car owners can use voice commands to achieve good interaction between people and cars. However, how to achieve a comfortable, simple and fast user experience in a car like a smartphone still requires a lot of details to be improved and optimized.

With the help of this exhibition, we can also see some clues: future vehicles may become more intelligent, and at the same time will have more interactions and communications with car owners, making the vehicles truly a good helper for car owners.