Freescale Semiconductor and Dongfeng Motor Corporation plan to establish an automotive electronics lab in China aimed at jointly developing silicon, software and system-level solutions for chassis and safety and in-car infotainment and navigation technologies.
Last year Freescale announced similar collaboration plans with Chery Automobile Company. Ray Cornyn, global head of Freescale‘s microcontroller business, said Freescale operates other joint laboratories in the U.S. and Europe, and has a lab of its own in Shanghai.
Freescale and Dongfeng plan to cooperate in body electronics, powertrain control, and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technologies with 32-bit Power Architecture MCUs as well as16-bit S12X and 8-bit S08 devices, and analog ICs. Dongfeng has an S12-based electronic control unit in production, and has developed an engine control system based on 32-bit Freescale MPC5xx MCUs that it plans to migrate to MPC563x MCUs for green engine control. Dongfeng and Freescale will also work together on hybrid control and automated manual transmission technologies, AUTOSAR applications, in-vehicle networking solutions, and low-end body control modules.
At the Consumer Electronics Show Toyota‘s U.S. sales organization, Toyota Motor Sales, announced a two-tiered telematics service with ATX Group, a subsidiary of Cross Country Automotive Services, as its primary partner.
Jon Bucci, vice president of Toyota Motor Sales‘ advanced technology department, said the Safety Connect telematics service will be available on select Toyota models beginning in late summer. Lexus Enform, which leverages Safety Connect and provides additional safety and convenience services, will be available for select Lexus models around the same time.
All Safety Connect and Lexus Enform calls — for automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle location, emergency assistance, roadside assistance and directions requests — will go directly to Toyota’s dedicated ATX response center.
When an emergency situation develops, Toyota Safety Connect subscribers can press an emergency assistance (SOS) button to reach the response center quickly and communicate their emergency. Using embedded cellular and GPS technology, the agent will assess the situation and dispatch the necessary assistance based on the type of emergency.
The response center will be automatically notified of an airbag deployment or a severe rear-end collision. When the response center agent receives the vehicle ID and the vehicle’s location, the agent can speak with the driver to ascertain the level of emergency. If the driver is unable to communicate, the agent will automatically treat the call as an emergency and will use the vehicle’s GPS location to determine the nearest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) available to provide emergency support. The agent will offer to stay on the line until emergency assistance arrives.
The Safety Connect response center will be available for roadside assistance 24 hours a day via the SOS button. Response center agents will help drivers receive aid for towing, jump start, flat tire, fuel delivery, or other needs.
“While a portion of the industry appears to be migrating to reliance upon wireless handheld devices to deliver in-vehicle safety, we’ve followed our engineering insights and Toyota’s G-Book and G-Link roots in Japan,” Bucci said.
“Based on our experience and research, our core safety and security technology (Safety Connect) is embedded in the vehicle to help ensure reliability and responsiveness. Safety Connect and Lexus Enform are the results of several years of due diligence and dedicated teams working in partnership with our highly experienced providers.”
Bucci said Toyota rejected a one-size-fits-all approach, recognizing that in Toyota and Lexus it has two distinct markets for telematics products and services.
Lexus Enform includes two convenience-based services, Destination Assist and eDestination, both enabled by Toyota’s dedicated ATX call center. Destination Assist provides live-operator assistance with finding destinations at the press of a button. While either parked or driving, the driver will be able to connect to an operator to ask for help finding local points of interest. Once the driver tells the operator their choice, the destination is sent wirelessly to the vehicle’s navigation system.
The eDestination feature will allow the user to go online via the Lexus owners‘ web site to select and organize destinations of their choice and send them wirelessly to their vehicle. Lexus Enform-subscribed owners will be able to search for destinations by point of interest (POI) name, category, or address, in Lexus’ POI database, which is also in the vehicle’s navigation system. Vehicle owners can build a library of destinations in up to 20 customized folders with up to 10 destinations per folder. Through an arrangement with Zagat, Enform subscribers will have easy access to Zagat content, including Zagat-rated restaurants nationwide.
On MY10 Lexus RX vehicles, Toyota plans to offer VoiceBox Technologies‘ Conversational Voice Search software to control many functions of the audio system, HVAC, and the navigation system, as well as Bluetooth calls. Rather than having to speak commands in a specific order, drivers can use natural, free-form language, such as “Call Bob at home,” “make it cooler,” or “where‘s the nearest gas station?”
Along with its telematics announcements, Toyota is expanding its XM satellite radio offerings to include XM NavTraffic on more Lexus and Toyota models, as well as XMNavWeather, and XM Sports and Stocks on most Lexus models.
XM will also provide Toyota with proprietary bandwidth for brief “Lexus Insider” audio programs on vehicle technology insights, tips on the subscriber‘s specific Lexus model, updates on Lexus-exclusive regional events; and selections from Lexus magazine lifestyle articles. Subscribers will also receive Insider insights into exclusive destinations appealing to Lexus drivers.
At the Consumer Electronics Show Toyota‘s U.S. sales organization, Toyota Motor Sales, announced a two-tiered telematics service with ATX Group, a subsidiary of Cross Country Automotive Services, as its primary partner.
Jon Bucci, vice president of Toyota Motor Sales‘ advanced technology department, said the Safety Connect telematics service will be available on select Toyota models beginning in late summer. Lexus Enform, which leverages Safety Connect and provides additional safety and convenience services, will be available for select Lexus models around the same time.
All Safety Connect and Lexus Enform calls — for automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle location, emergency assistance, roadside assistance and directions requests — will go directly to Toyota’s dedicated ATX response center.
When an emergency situation develops, Toyota Safety Connect subscribers can press an emergency assistance (SOS) button to reach the response center quickly and communicate their emergency. Using embedded cellular and GPS technology, the agent will assess the situation and dispatch the necessary assistance based on the type of emergency.
The response center will be automatically notified of an airbag deployment or a severe rear-end collision. When the response center agent receives the vehicle ID and the vehicle’s location, the agent can speak with the driver to ascertain the level of emergency. If the driver is unable to communicate, the agent will automatically treat the call as an emergency and will use the vehicle’s GPS location to determine the nearest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) available to provide emergency support. The agent will offer to stay on the line until emergency assistance arrives.
The Safety Connect response center will be available for roadside assistance 24 hours a day via the SOS button. Response center agents will help drivers receive aid for towing, jump start, flat tire, fuel delivery, or other needs.
“While a portion of the industry appears to be migrating to reliance upon wireless handheld devices to deliver in-vehicle safety, we’ve followed our engineering insights and Toyota’s G-Book and G-Link roots in Japan,” Bucci said.
“Based on our experience and research, our core safety and security technology (Safety Connect) is embedded in the vehicle to help ensure reliability and responsiveness. Safety Connect and Lexus Enform are the results of several years of due diligence and dedicated teams working in partnership with our highly experienced providers.”
Bucci said Toyota rejected a one-size-fits-all approach, recognizing that in Toyota and Lexus it has two distinct markets for telematics products and services.
Lexus Enform includes two convenience-based services, Destination Assist and eDestination, both enabled by Toyota’s dedicated ATX call center. Destination Assist provides live-operator assistance with finding destinations at the press of a button. While either parked or driving, the driver will be able to connect to an operator to ask for help finding local points of interest. Once the driver tells the operator their choice, the destination is sent wirelessly to the vehicle’s navigation system.
The eDestination feature will allow the user to go online via the Lexus owners‘ web site to select and organize destinations of their choice and send them wirelessly to their vehicle. Lexus Enform-subscribed owners will be able to search for destinations by point of interest (POI) name, category, or address, in Lexus’ POI database, which is also in the vehicle’s navigation system. Vehicle owners can build a library of destinations in up to 20 customized folders with up to 10 destinations per folder. Through an arrangement with Zagat, Enform subscribers will have easy access to Zagat content, including Zagat-rated restaurants nationwide.
On MY10 Lexus RX vehicles, Toyota plans to offer VoiceBox Technologies‘ Conversational Voice Search software to control many functions of the audio system, HVAC, and the navigation system, as well as Bluetooth calls. Rather than having to speak commands in a specific order, drivers can use natural, free-form language, such as “Call Bob at home,” “make it cooler,” or “where‘s the nearest gas station?”
Along with its telematics announcements, Toyota is expanding its XM satellite radio offerings to include XM NavTraffic on more Lexus and Toyota models, as well as XMNavWeather, and XM Sports and Stocks on most Lexus models.
XM will also provide Toyota with proprietary bandwidth for brief “Lexus Insider” audio programs on vehicle technology insights, tips on the subscriber‘s specific Lexus model, updates on Lexus-exclusive regional events; and selections from Lexus magazine lifestyle articles. Subscribers will also receive Insider insights into exclusive destinations appealing to Lexus drivers.
Visteon has licensed Immersion Corporation‘s touch feedback technology and plans to demonstrate product concepts at the Consumer Electronics Show (booth CP13 in the Central Plaza). Visteon and Immersion expect to have to have haptic button packs, haptic-enabled displays, and interior control modules ready for market by 2010.
Steve Meszaros, president of Visteon‘s electronics product group, said automotive human-machine interfaces must evolve to help drivers do more without increasing distraction. Touch sensations and feedback similar to what consumers are accustomed to with portable electronics devices are part of an ongoing trend to integrate consumer electronics and the characteristics of personal devices into the vehicle.
Chuck Joseph, senior vice president and general manager of Immersion‘s Touch Interface Products group, said that haptics can increase user speed and accuracy, reduce complication and stress, and improve user satisfaction. The technology can assist drivers by reducing glance time and decreasing driver distraction, which promotes safety.
Visteon has licensed Immersion Corporation‘s touch feedback technology and plans to demonstrate product concepts at the Consumer Electronics Show (booth CP13 in the Central Plaza). Visteon and Immersion expect to have to have haptic button packs, haptic-enabled displays, and interior control modules ready for market by 2010.
Steve Meszaros, president of Visteon‘s electronics product group, said automotive human-machine interfaces must evolve to help drivers do more without increasing distraction. Touch sensations and feedback similar to what consumers are accustomed to with portable electronics devices are part of an ongoing trend to integrate consumer electronics and the characteristics of personal devices into the vehicle.
Chuck Joseph, senior vice president and general manager of Immersion‘s Touch Interface Products group, said that haptics can increase user speed and accuracy, reduce complication and stress, and improve user satisfaction. The technology can assist drivers by reducing glance time and decreasing driver distraction, which promotes safety.
CSR has launched its second development platform for Bluetooth hands-free car kits. Based on CSR‘s BlueCore5-Multimedia Bluetooth silicon, the RoadRunner2 includes Bluetooth version 2.1 + EDR, as well as CSR‘s Clear Voice Capture (CVC) echo cancellation algorithm, which promises excellent audio quality despite environmental demands.
RoadRunner2 can receive music from mobile phones, MP3 players, SD cards, or an audio jack-In, and then transmit to the speakers, or via FM to the car stereo system. It supports Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP) and can retrieve phone book entries from mobile phones that do not support PBAP by storing the entries in a serial flash memory. The kit‘s digital signal processor displays the caller‘s name for an incoming call. The BlueCore5-Multimedia chip can also control a screen and a rotary input.
CSR‘s BlueLab configuration software lets designers alter elements of their final product, including flash parameters, PIO assignment to buttons, MMI and ring tones.
CSR has launched its second development platform for Bluetooth hands-free car kits. Based on CSR‘s BlueCore5-Multimedia Bluetooth silicon, the RoadRunner2 includes Bluetooth version 2.1 + EDR, as well as CSR‘s Clear Voice Capture (CVC) echo cancellation algorithm, which promises excellent audio quality despite environmental demands.
RoadRunner2 can receive music from mobile phones, MP3 players, SD cards, or an audio jack-In, and then transmit to the speakers, or via FM to the car stereo system. It supports Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP) and can retrieve phone book entries from mobile phones that do not support PBAP by storing the entries in a serial flash memory. The kit‘s digital signal processor displays the caller‘s name for an incoming call. The BlueCore5-Multimedia chip can also control a screen and a rotary input.
CSR‘s BlueLab configuration software lets designers alter elements of their final product, including flash parameters, PIO assignment to buttons, MMI and ring tones.
This blog focuses on issues and trends in the design and deployment of automotive electronics products, including chips, embedded systems, network topologies, standards, and system components for infotainment, telematics, ADAS, and more. It's a forum for engineers at every link in the value chain.
