It’s often said that automotive
infotainment “systems” began with the 1930 introduction of the first true car radio, “the Motorola,”
by Paul and Joseph Galvin, and William Lear. And who could want more? The radio provided entertainment and
information about what was going on in the world. That level of satisfaction lasted for quite a while.
It took about another 32 years just to add FM capability, and still more years to offer removable media for
music. First, there were the analog music sources—4-track Muntz Stereo-Pak (1962), then more popular
8-tracks (1964)—quickly followed by compact cassettes from Philips. But soon, access to music followed the
growing personal computer model, with CDs and digital media players, and digital radio after
that. And that was before infotainment grew out of just being a rolling boom box. Now, the rate of change is
so rapid that it’s difficult to guess what’s just ahead.
Thanks to movies and the power of advertising, the driving public was exposed to what they were missing. And
it worked. They could feel the excitement and they wanted more!
Figure 1: The Aston Martin DB5. By Chilterngreen at the German language
Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0,
wikimedia.org
The year is 1964 and movie goers are mesmerized watching super spy James Bond at the wheel of a tricked out
Aston Martin DB5. After placing a homing device in villain Auric Goldfinger's Rolls-Royce Phantom II, Bond
flips open a panel to reveal a radar and geo-tracking screen. We watched as a blinking target traversed
electronically displayed roads. And, without knowledge of future GPS systems, we said, “that’s
impossible…but wouldn’t it be cool!” Starting with that DB5, Bond has always had the ultimate in
infotainment systems, although some of the features did stretch the definition of what we would consider
infotainment (like that passenger ejector seat!). Cell phones weren’t available yet either, but a “radio
telephone” kept him in close touch with HQ. (Unfortunately, one piece of technology missing from that DB5
was a LoJack tracker, as the primary movie car was stolen in 1997 from a hanger in the Boca Raton, Florida
airport and hasn’t been seen since. It is said to be worth several million dollars.)
With the exception of the lethal toys built into Bond’s car, today’s car buyers can easily out-Bond Bond,
with a dizzying array of options. And “dizzying” is an apt word, as many drivers without training from Q are
often confused by how to engage the features.
A Broad Definition
The capabilities that are now included in infotainment encompass much more than entertainment products,
enhancing convenience, safety, and how humans interact or interface with our vehicles. Broadly, infotainment
includes, but is not limited to, the following functions:
- Entertainment and information - radio, audio/video — broadcast and via storage media,
satellite reception technology, Radio Data System (RDS)
- Active noise reduction systems for a
quieter cabin
- GPS - navigation, telematics, security
- In-Vehicle Connectivity - with wireless devices in the vehicle (i.e. Bluetooth®
for audio and cell phones, and
near-field for fobs)
- Internet Connectivity - mobile hot spots, factory firmware, and software system updates
- Safety - driver
assistance systems including video visual support, lane control, and accident avoidance
- Security Systems
- Visual Sensors – back-up cameras, back-up
warning alerts, and dash cams
When we think of infotainment, most of us gravitate toward the core of information such as RDS or GPS, and
entertainment such as music, video, and Internet connectivity. While the march to expanding functionality of
infotainment systems may be accelerating, it can be quickly brought to a halt by complex or confusing
interface devices and software. Some first-generation input devices were so burdensome that they caused
drivers to ignore the added capabilities that they should have been enjoying. Even voice command systems
have had growing pains. Because distracted driving can result in accidents, interfaces need to be very
intuitive or even intelligent enough to make some decisions without user action, based on observed behaviors
or conditions. It is this area of development that may offer the greatest challenges.
Consumers Report recently chimed in on the ease-of-use of infotainment systems, with results of a survey
involving 58,000 vehicles from the 2013 to 2016 model years. They found that systems overall were gaining
much more favor with users. Some surprises surfaced as well. What could the high-end Audi A6, the Chevrolet
Impala, and the Kia Optima all have in common? According to CR’s survey, the trio had easy-to-use, top
performing infotainment systems. They commented that automakers approach the infotainment design mission as
creating a system that “will do everything a smartphone will do—in a much less distracting way.”
The lines are blurring between what might be considered part of infotainment and what electronically assisted
safety features are integrated into the vehicle. For the purposes of this article, if the driver is involved
in interacting with the control of a system providing information or entertainment, we’ll consider it
infotainment. For example, a radar assist that automatically stops your vehicle to prevent a rear-end
collision is outside of our discussion.
Figure 2: The National Safety Council and the University of Iowa
co-wrote a website that very simple
terms the incredible range of automotive safety systems available now, as well as what’s around the
corner. (Source: www.MyCarDoesWhat.org)
Until recently, most of the devices that provide infotainment have been discrete, i.e. components independent
of each other. As automakers have gained a better understanding of what features and functions their
customers crave, they have turned to technology companies to take a systems approach to these capabilities.
The change to a systems-oriented architecture has provided many benefits, including lower cost, better
interactivity between functions, more consistent operating interfaces, better performance and reliability,
less power consumption, and the ability to remotely update systems without costly service visits.
What all of these systems have in common is the need for:
- Components that “power” the
systems
- Processors, memory, and bus systems
- Radio modules (now trending toward SDRs, or software defined radios)
- Sensors (including position
sensors, accelerometers),
- Power components (DC-DC converters, supercapacitors, thermistors)
- Transducers (piezoelectric sounders and diaphragms),
- Near field and signal processing devices
(ceramic resonators and filters, crystal units, antennas, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules.)
Infotainment System Architectures
Figure 3 below indicates the structure of how infotainment systems have evolved in recent years, with
separate analog and digital RF blocks acting as signal sources, which are ultimately connect to a multimedia
processor to feed audio and visual displays and speakers. While functional and robust, this approach is
costly to design and manufacture, and has significant physical space requirements. The complexity of the
structure also makes it difficult to handle geographic variables and future updates. Power requirements can
be significant.
Figure 3: Current infotainment approach using dedicated hardware
connected with a dedicated interface
technology. (Source: Maxim Integrated).
In order to overcome the limitations of the approach discussed, Maxim Integrated has developed a new system
architecture. As shown in Figure 4, a new generation of receiver module, based on the company’s RF to
Bits© architecture and tuner (software defined radio). Unlike the example shown in Figure 1,
system-specific tasks are realized in software, lessening the RF design burden. Using standardized
interfaces, such as I²S or LVDS, offers greater flexibility to configure and scale the system to
varying and future requirements. Now a single front end or universal tuner can replace multiple specialized
tuners. The processor handles any type of demodulation and decoding that may be required.
Overall, the RF to Bits architecture reduces the number of system components required. This approach results
in, space and power savings, less heat and improved reliability.
Figure 4: Maxim’s RF to Bits architecture uses one piece of hardware to
support different standards.
Powering and Feeding the System
In addition to the chip sets available for infotainment technology, a broad range of supporting components
are necessary to power the systems, to provide operational data, display and annunciate information and to
keep the wrong signals from talking to vital systems. And as any engineer who has designed systems for
automotive applications knows, the environment is a demanding one. Automakers generally require AEC-Q200
-compliant products or TS16949 certification. Some component manufacturers, such as Murata, have product lines of familiar passive components and
modules that are designed and manufactured specifically to provide reliable operation under the stress of
automotive operating conditions. Figure 5 illustrates how Murata categorizes their products targeting automotive
information, comfort and accessory operations.
Figure 5: Categories of components and modules for Murata infotainment
applications.
It’s useful to breakdown the Murata list and see what kinds of components are included.
1) Navigation/Infotainment
- Rotary Position Sensors – audio system function control
- Accelerometers – these components have become the utility infielders of automotive electronics,
providing positional and G force data for many different systems.
- DC-DC Converters, Supercapacitors, Thermistors – power systems
- Ceramic Resonators, Filters and Discriminators, Crystal Units – RF circuitry
- Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi Modules
2) Remote Keyless Entry
- Supercapacitors
- Ceramic Resonators, Filters and Discriminators, Crystal Units
- Piezoelectric Diaphragms – for audio feedback
3) Meter/Heads Up Display
- Rotary Position Sensors
- DC-DC Converters, Thermistors
- Ceramic Resonators, Crystal Units
- Piezoelectric Sounders
4) Power Seat/Power Mirror
- Thermistors
- Ceramic Resonators, Crystal Units
- Piezoelectric Sounders
5) Parking Assist
- Ultrasonic Sensors – Position sensing
- Accelerometers
- Supercapacitors, Thermistors
- Ceramic Resonators, Crystal Units
- Piezo Electric Sounders
6) General Purpose
- Monolithic ceramic capacitors
- Chip inductors
- Common mode coils
- Ferrite beads
- EMI Suppression Filters
One of the more interesting new developments from Murata is Heartbeat Detection. We’ve all heard horrible
news stories about the dangers of leaving a child in an unattended car. This concept combats that problem
with very sensitive sensors and sophisticated software. If a human being is in the car when the car is
locked and should be empty, an alert is sounded. And while the main function is to detect if a child, for
example, was inadvertently left in the car, it could also be useful to detect hidden car occupants.
Summary
After a somewhat rocky start, modern infotainment systems are rapidly becoming a part of the automotive
mainstream. From a driver and passenger perspective, they are easier to use than earlier products, more
feature rich, and much more reliable.
From the point of view of the engineer, there are now readily available architectures with corresponding
chipsets and supporting components to reduce the pain and length of the design cycle. These architectures
make it much easier to be creative with feature sets and even totally new ideas.
Morrie Goldman is a
veteran electronics industry marketer and technical writer based in the Chicago area. A former editor and
writer of electronic text content for a major educational company, he has also authored numerous articles
for trade publications and websites. He holds an Advanced Class amateur radio license and has had military
electronics training.
