We recently attended the GENIVI All Members Meeting and the TU Automotive conference which reinforced the fact that the automotive sector is an absolute hub of innovation. As connectivity continues to become more and more important, three key trends stood out as critical for the automotive market in 2017.
1. Solutions that evolve with the times
The mobile era has transformed consumer expectations, and has created an appetite for new features to be added on an on-going basis, which means that there is a pressure to “unlock” the in-car infotainment environment as well as a requirement to reduce time for the introduction of new functionality. This is putting increasing pressure on OEMs and Tier 1s to keep up with rapidly evolving technologies while simultaneously reducing costs. By outsourcing, OEMS and Tier 1s can reduce operational costs and provide consumers with systems that are scalable and robust.
Our software has been deployed in over 1.5 billion devices ranging from cars, smartphones and tablets through to game consoles and smart TVs, which means that we are well placed to support OEMs and Tier 1s by providing solutions that enhance the in-car infotainment experience.
2. Increased support for Industry Standards
OEMs and Tier 1s are striving to maintain a meaningful relationship with their customers and differentiating their cars through the power and ease-of-use of the in-car infotainment solutions. This has resulted in manufacturers taking their own road to the connected car by utilising their own proprietary software, such as BMW Drive, GM OnStar, and Ford Sync. At TU Automotive we saw manufacturers resolving the fragmentation caused by this approach by combining proprietary software with open source software. We see support for all relevant industry standards as critical in promoting the seamless interoperability between devices that consumers expect.
At ACCESS, we pride ourselves on being a pioneer in infotainment system development and consultancy. Working closely with relevant standards organizations, in technology, media and automotive, such as the GENIVI Alliance and the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) ensures that we can provide globally deployable solutions.
We are excited about where the connected car is going in 2017, in January we’ll be kicking off the year by heading to CES to showcase our latest solutions to everyone involved in providing cutting-edge solutions for automotive infotainment.
3. BYOD unlocks the next level of car infotainment
With infotainment becoming a key differentiator in the car buying process OEMs and Tier 1s are concentrating hard on providing consumers with high quality infotainment systems that provide a range of entertainment and multimedia options for passengers and drivers. Consumers have become accustomed to constant connectivity in all walks of life and the car is no different.
Last year, at CES we saw that panoramic screens were a big trend for the connected car, but this year at TU Automotive we noticed increased support for the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) culture. With an increasing number of consumers viewing mobile devices as an extension of themselves, OEMs and Tier 1s are ensuring that their infotainment systems integrate easily with personal devices, empowering passengers to use their own devices to access maps, music, news and trip specific information.
