A Multimedia Offensive for the Automobile of Tomorrow
The appeal of future multimedia and telematics services depends on two factors: The first priority is a unified hardware and software architecture that combines various technologies into a single system. At the same time, the needs and interests of the driver have to be taken into account.
The first priority relates directly to the expertise of Bosch as an automotive supplier. The researchers at Bosch are focusing on the task of integrating the various functions into a unified system, since the company already has expertise in all of the individual technologies and has played a major role in establishing standards for them in a number of national and international bodies and commissions. At the heart of such a system is a unified software platform, on which the various multimedia and telematics applications run. The software architecture guarantees that new applications can be implemented easily. This leads to a significant reduction in the time and expense required for development.
It also means that new services can be downloaded from automotive manufacturers or other providers when the vehicles are being configured on the production line, or even after delivery.
Which services might be affected? Market research has shown that the auxiliary function to which car drivers and passengers assign top priority is vehicle safety, followed by traffic information and navigation. Of further interest are services in the area of mobile telecommunications, mobile office, entertainment and mobile commerce.
Keeping these market research results in mind, researchers at Bosch are creating a range of scenarios for the application of such new services. For this purpose, they are developing concepts to implement the necessary functions into the multimedia and telematics platform. In the process, it turned out that the following three functions play a key role:
Positioning: Information must reach drivers in the right place and at the right time. Moreover, nearly every security and safety application requires identification of the vehicle’s current position via a satellite based positioning system.
Personalization: The myriad of possibilities for a driver information system must be customized to meet the needs of the individual user.
Voice control: This enables the driver to request information about vehicle functions or control entertainment media via spoken commands without being distracted from the road. Information (such as e-mails) can be read aloud to the user.
Bosch employees have worked out a variety of detailed scenarios in their research projects and implemented the necessary functions in the Java programming language, which is independent of specific operating systems.
In the European research project DRiVE, Bosch and its partners have shown how navigation systems and mobile phones can work together on a shared software platform. A user interface can be accessed by means of voice control, enabling the driver to choose from various services on offer – for example, a city guide that provides information about what’s going on around town or where the nearest restaurants and hotels are located. This system receives the data via mobile phone from the Internet portal of a car manufacturer willing to offer this additional service to its customers. But any certified third party provider with a bit of enterprise can also jump on the bandwagon and supply his own service, such as a list of the pizzerias in the area. At the touch of a button, the navigation system can store the location coordinates of the chosen restaurant and guide the driver safely to the destination.
Another possible service would be useful in the event that problems arise during a trip: The system could provide a list of nearby service stations, medical services or hospitals, or it could download train or plane schedules into the navigation system.
Other scenarios unfold in the areas of vehicle diagnostics and maintenance. For example, if the tire pressure decreases below a certain threshold during a trip, this information is communicated to the driver on the vehicle’s display. Even though modern tires permit a few kilometers of driving in the event of a flat, a safety-conscious driver will want to know the location of the nearest auto repair shop or tire service center. The touch of a button or a voice command will summon the assistance out of the new world of multimedia and telematics.
The navigation system will use its satellite receiver to determine the location of the vehicle and then transfer this information via mobile phone to a service provider. In turn, the provider will find the nearest service center that can repair the tire, find out how long a waiting period is required, and send the list of possibilities back to the driver. The list will contain the name of the service station, the distance from the current position, and the waiting time for the customer. Each entry on the list comes with its location coordinates, which are not visible to the user but necessary for the navigation system. The driver chooses the service station he wants, and on command the navigation system takes over.
The new OSGi (Open Service Gateway initiative) industry standard guarantees that various services and applications can be simply downloaded and will then function independently of the underlying computer hardware and operating system. This guarantees that every car manufacturer can adjust its services flexibly and efficiently to meet the needs of the various vehicle models and user groups. This makes it possible to obtain help in an emergency from a special call center, for example, or be navigated to the next available service station, as described in the example given above.
An interface with the so-called CAN bus, which operates the vehicle’s control systems, can activate a call to an emergency service via the mobile phone in the event of an accident as soon as the ABS or ESP sensors have reacted to the situation.
A remote diagnosis of the vehicle is also possible: Operating data can be read out from controlling devices via mobile phone. If a repair is required, the driver is notified. However, if the remote diagnosis concludes that a software update is sufficient to correct the malfunction, the remote maintenance procedure can be carried out by simply downloading the necessary software from an authorized and certified service provider. In this case, the owner doesn’t even need to drive to the service station.
It also means that new services can be downloaded from automotive manufacturers or other providers when the vehicles are being configured on the production line, or even after delivery.
Which services might be affected? Market research has shown that the auxiliary function to which car drivers and passengers assign top priority is vehicle safety, followed by traffic information and navigation. Of further interest are services in the area of mobile telecommunications, mobile office, entertainment and mobile commerce.
Keeping these market research results in mind, researchers at Bosch are creating a range of scenarios for the application of such new services. For this purpose, they are developing concepts to implement the necessary functions into the multimedia and telematics platform. In the process, it turned out that the following three functions play a key role:
Positioning: Information must reach drivers in the right place and at the right time. Moreover, nearly every security and safety application requires identification of the vehicle’s current position via a satellite based positioning system.
Personalization: The myriad of possibilities for a driver information system must be customized to meet the needs of the individual user.
Voice control: This enables the driver to request information about vehicle functions or control entertainment media via spoken commands without being distracted from the road. Information (such as e-mails) can be read aloud to the user.
Bosch employees have worked out a variety of detailed scenarios in their research projects and implemented the necessary functions in the Java programming language, which is independent of specific operating systems.
In the European research project DRiVE, Bosch and its partners have shown how navigation systems and mobile phones can work together on a shared software platform. A user interface can be accessed by means of voice control, enabling the driver to choose from various services on offer – for example, a city guide that provides information about what’s going on around town or where the nearest restaurants and hotels are located. This system receives the data via mobile phone from the Internet portal of a car manufacturer willing to offer this additional service to its customers. But any certified third party provider with a bit of enterprise can also jump on the bandwagon and supply his own service, such as a list of the pizzerias in the area. At the touch of a button, the navigation system can store the location coordinates of the chosen restaurant and guide the driver safely to the destination.
Another possible service would be useful in the event that problems arise during a trip: The system could provide a list of nearby service stations, medical services or hospitals, or it could download train or plane schedules into the navigation system.
Other scenarios unfold in the areas of vehicle diagnostics and maintenance. For example, if the tire pressure decreases below a certain threshold during a trip, this information is communicated to the driver on the vehicle’s display. Even though modern tires permit a few kilometers of driving in the event of a flat, a safety-conscious driver will want to know the location of the nearest auto repair shop or tire service center. The touch of a button or a voice command will summon the assistance out of the new world of multimedia and telematics.
The navigation system will use its satellite receiver to determine the location of the vehicle and then transfer this information via mobile phone to a service provider. In turn, the provider will find the nearest service center that can repair the tire, find out how long a waiting period is required, and send the list of possibilities back to the driver. The list will contain the name of the service station, the distance from the current position, and the waiting time for the customer. Each entry on the list comes with its location coordinates, which are not visible to the user but necessary for the navigation system. The driver chooses the service station he wants, and on command the navigation system takes over.
The new OSGi (Open Service Gateway initiative) industry standard guarantees that various services and applications can be simply downloaded and will then function independently of the underlying computer hardware and operating system. This guarantees that every car manufacturer can adjust its services flexibly and efficiently to meet the needs of the various vehicle models and user groups. This makes it possible to obtain help in an emergency from a special call center, for example, or be navigated to the next available service station, as described in the example given above.
An interface with the so-called CAN bus, which operates the vehicle’s control systems, can activate a call to an emergency service via the mobile phone in the event of an accident as soon as the ABS or ESP sensors have reacted to the situation.
A remote diagnosis of the vehicle is also possible: Operating data can be read out from controlling devices via mobile phone. If a repair is required, the driver is notified. However, if the remote diagnosis concludes that a software update is sufficient to correct the malfunction, the remote maintenance procedure can be carried out by simply downloading the necessary software from an authorized and certified service provider. In this case, the owner doesn’t even need to drive to the service station.
