Technology News
Continental provides upgradeable infotainment system for Fiat
Fiat Group Automobiles will soon launch serial production for a cars equipped with a new infotainment system developed by automotive supplier Continental. The system will be available as a car radio in its basic form but also as an advanced multimedia head unit. During its service life, it can be upgraded or modified by installing new software versions.
The first Fiat model equipped with the infotainment system will be the new Fiat 500 L, which is being produced in Serbia. The Continental infotainment system will then be rolled out across further models in the Fiat/Chrysler realm.
With this new system, which began development in December 2010, the driver has access to analogue and digital radio or navigation functions on a 5 inch touch screen. There is also an option to connect digital music sources via USB and to use the hands-free function for smartphones through a bluetooth-interface. As in earlier Fiat infotainment systems, the new head unit runs under Microsoft's operating system Windows Embedded Automotive and features text-to-speech as well as voice recognition, allowing drivers to utilize functions of the infotainment-system without taking their hands off the steering wheel.
The head unit allows for new software functions to be installed on the system after the start of series production. Thus the system can be adjusted to the changing preferences of the driver over the vehicle's complete lifecycle. Additionally the system defines new ecological benchmarks: the Fiat Group's eco:Drive, which will be integrated into the infotainment-system, can help the driver contribute to the reduction of consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 12% through analyzing driving parameters in real time (acceleration, deceleration, gear shift change and cruise speed) and giving suggestions for more eco friendly driving.
The new infotainment system was developed at Continental locations in Wetzlar (Germany), Regensburg (Germany), Deer Park (USA), as well as Guadalajara (Mexico) and Singapore. For Fiat/Chrysler the production will start in July 2012in Brandys (Czech Republic), and will at a later date also take place at the Continental plant in Nogales, Mexico.
- IHS predicts strong growth for automotive electronics
- Requirements lifecycle management tool targets safety-critical FPGA and ASIC design
- Automotive microcontroller benchmark takes energy efficiency into account
- In automotive lighting, LEDs still fail to enlight the masses, study says
- 40-V MOSFETs deliver benchmark on-state resistance for heavy load applications
- Electric vehicle go-slow hits SiC power devices
- 65-nm ARM Flash MCU controls electronic brake
- Automotive applications drive demand for DC brushless motors, IMS Research says
- Bluetooth all-in one module with antenna targets automotive use
- Mobile video streaming drives demand for networking semiconductors in cars
- In Formula One, Freescale is in the pole position
- Volvo evaluates flywheel hybrid drive - fuel savings of up to 25%
- Bosch tests automatic driving on the Autobahn
- Bosch highlights radar technology for safety-relevant driver assistant systems
- Toyota utilizes SPARK Pro programming language in ultra-low-defect software
- Bosch stresses high costs for lower fuel consumption
- Universal charger connects plug-in hybrids globally to the grid - as long as it is a Porsche
- Students build electric racing car
- Graphics chip recognizes nearby pedestrians and bicycles
- Autoliv provides the "eyes" for driver assistance systems
- Open Standards and Product Differentiation
- AV architecture on ARM Cortex SOCs
- Using Ethernet Applications to Optimize Automotive Electronics Platforms
- What's New In Power Management Electronics
- Communications between a plug-in EV and the EV supply equipment
- TTEthernet Scalable Real-Time Ethernet Platform
This site contains articles under license from EETimes Group , a division of United Business Media LLC.


