In-vehicle infotainment evolves for safe, efficient connectivity on wheels

Intel Labs has created a proof-of-concept solution bringing a smartphone, IVI platform and cloud services together in an authenticated relationship for video surveillance usage. An owner can receive an alert away from the car, on any connected device, and view real-time video of the situation. Imaging capability can also assist drivers with situations in which the driver’s visibility is limited, such as parallel parking. And insurance companies can use the surveillance features for “responsible driver” programs that monitor drivers and offer discounts to those who do not engage in risky behavior behind the wheel.

A number of advantages also come with a dedicated Internet connection that is not dependent on the driver’s phone. For example, a parked vehicle can text its owner if a thief attempts to break in, with the previous 30 seconds of activity recorded on camera. The driver can immediately call up the video stream on a smartphone, see the alarm condition and even track where the car is headed.

The next step requires processes that enable integration into the industry’s business fabric, as opposed to manual software development. Automakers and suppliers that get this right will profit over time, even if they spend more during the transition.

The Genivi Alliance—a group committed to driving the broad adoption of an IVI platform and founded in 2009 by BMW, Intel, Wind River and others—has adopted the MeeGo platform as the open-source basis of its IVI compliance program. The effort is rearchitecting the supply chain and business model that has controlled the IVI deployment approach until now.

The idea is that if the members agree to share some of the risk, they can also share the cost burden. As long as Genivi leaves at least 5 percent of each layer to allow the ecosystem to resolve issues and innovate within that headroom, the infotainment business will accelerate.

Two years after its formation, the Genivi Alliance is accelerating cross-industry standards development. While most commercial product implementations are still in development and will not materialize in production cars until 2012-2014, the alliance has done much work to pave the way and establish a governance model. Polled executives believe that if Genivi stays on track, all industry participants developing Linux for IVI will switch to Genivi in the next few years.

Automobiles need these components to create highway networks that communicate across car brands, models and personal devices. Thousands of connected applications are being conceived, but there will be nowhere to park them unless a standard interface is established. Many automakers are looking way beyond connected handheld devices and are paying close attention to safety issues, such as driver distraction.

Progress in R&D means that the integration of multimedia, navigation and Internet capability in our cars—and the future integration of tablets, smartphones and netbooks—will become commonplace. Embedded transportation solutions could bring transformative changes to the ways we interact with each other. Intel continues to work with the embedded computing and communications ecosystem to turn these possibilities into reality.

More about Genivi can be found at www.genivi.org.

About the author

Joel Hoffmann is business analyst for the Automotive Solutions Division of Intel Corp.’s Embedded & Communications Group.