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Wheels:
Car radios go global and soft

The Global Software Radio from Continental is easily adaptable to different broadcasting standards worldwide.

 

 

With something new called Global Software Radio technology, international automotive supplier Continental aims to replace a large part of the hardware in conventional radios with intelligent software. This idea is to allow automotive manufacturers to offer their customers modern radio entertainment at a lower cost.

In a recent test setup, Continental was able to demonstrate the diversity of functions that is possible through the Global Software Radio. For example, it can play several radio stations simultaneously. Using loudspeakers and additional headset outlets, car drivers and rear-seat passengers can listen to their favorite stations independently of each other. The Global Software Radio also allows the driver to listen to a station while a different channel is being recorded. It can also look for the most up-to-date traffic information in the background and provide this to the driver. It makes no difference whether the signals are digital or analog.

Continental also says that its Global Software Radio is future-proof, because new radio broadcasting standards or new data services can be integrated with a software update. Conventional radios can only offer this diversity by using additional (and comparably expensive) hardware.

"This allows vehicle manufacturers to offer top-class infotainment throughout the vehicle's entire service life," says Kieran O'Sullivan, head of Continental's Infotainment and Connectivity business unit.

World-ready functionality
Automotive manufacturers look for product and system solutions that can be used all over the world, and the Global Software Radio does just that: It offers vehicle manufacturers world-ready functionality. Regardless of whether a radio receives HD radio in the USA or DAB in Germany, the different standards can be met by simply changing the software. The automotive manufacturer can use the processor's computing capacity to scale the diversity of functions offered by the Software Radio. The more powerful the processor, the more functions the radio offers. Using a fast processor, the radio can play or record several digital radio channels simultaneously for different listeners, for example. This makes the technology suitable for cars from the smallest class right up to those in the luxury class.

"The ability to offer car manufacturers worldwide a diverse radio infotainment system with a significantly reduced number of product variants is a decisive factor in ensuring the breakthrough of the Global Software Radio," says O'Sullivan. "We have already entered series production with various automotive manufacturers using parts of the Software Radio technology, and are witnessing a rising demand that confirms this trend."

Less hardware = more energy efficiency
The Software Radio is also a good option for electromobility, which has its own special requirements regarding energy efficiency. The formula behind this is simple: Less hardware means less weight, space, and power consumption compared to conventional technologies with a similar diversity of functions.

Source: Continental

Published August 2012

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