New Delhi: Because the automotive business races to satisfy the hovering calls for for connectivity and real-time interplay, Harman is specializing in integrating superior client know-how into automobile programs. Krishna Kumar, Managing Director of Harman India and Automotive Nation R&D Lead, discusses with ETAuto how Harman is on the reducing fringe of enhancing in-car experiences. He delves into the corporate’s strategic method to growing options like its Prepared product portfolio, which contains superior infotainment, security, and personalization options. Kumar highlights how Harman leverages rising applied sciences—comparable to AI, 5G, and machine studying—to redefine human-machine interfaces (HMI) and cockpit design. Via these improvements, Harman goals to satisfy the evolving expectations of contemporary drivers, delivering extra intuitive, linked, and immersive in-vehicle experiences.Under are excerpts from the interplay.
Q: Harman has been pivotal in driving consumerization within the automotive business. Are you able to elaborate on the particular improvements or options Harman is presently growing to reinforce cockpit experiences and HMI?
As client expectations for real-time, linked experiences proceed to rise, automakers are underneath extra stress than ever to supply software-defined automobiles able to the identical linked experiences customers are accustomed to receiving from their different gadgets. As a subsidiary of Samsung, Harman is thoughtfully bringing related client know-how improvements into the automotive setting. Particularly, new additions to our Prepared product portfolio, mix the automotive experience of Harman with the buyer know-how prowess of Samsung to spice up security and personalization for a richer in-cabin expertise. Harman’s Prepared lineup of road-ready merchandise delivers compelling in-cabin experiences designed to offer particular automobile security, well-being, in-cabin leisure, and connectivity advantages.
Moreover, we just lately introduced SeatSonic, which is a scalable passenger-centric audio system that delivers distinctive audio efficiency by means of the automobile’s seats.
Q: What are the important thing traits shaping the way forward for cockpit options and human-machine interface (HMI) in cars, and the way is Harman contributing to those developments?
Infotainment, connectivity, safety, and linked companies are anticipated to develop at tempo with the general automotive software program market, turning into the second-largest software program market by 2030. This development is pushed by a excessive share of linked automobiles and demand for options comparable to in-car funds, location-based companies, and music streaming.
Reaching that stage of connectivity isn’t any small process. It requires automakers to utterly rethink the underlying digital structure of their automobiles whereas increasing their associate community to incorporate third-party builders, open ecosystem gamers, and extra.
At Harman, we take into consideration improvement otherwise. Centered on a stability between product and undertaking, we slim in on the consumer-first mindset to create synergies that assist safer driving and higher automobile options. We’re targeted on creating road-ready automotive merchandise that may be deployed and make a significant affect on customers right this moment.
Harman merchandise might be deployed singularly, or built-in with each other or with associate applied sciences, creating richer experiences and expanded capabilities. Harman’s product portfolio delivers experiences that meet customers’ evolving wants and put together automobiles for right this moment and tomorrow.
Q: With applied sciences like 5G, AI/ML, NLP, and cloud computing gaining prominence, how do you see these developments enhancing the general automobile expertise? What position does Harman play in integrating these applied sciences into automotive options?
The automotive business continues to be disrupted by rising tech breakthroughs—like superior connectivity, synthetic intelligence and machine studying, and electrical automobiles, in addition to heightened expectations for in-cabin experiences. Harman has leveraged cutting-edge applied sciences, together with AI, AR, ML and extra, to increase and evolve its portfolio of Prepared merchandise.
At the moment, Harman Prepared Care provides cognitive load detection, evaluation, and classification after which tailors interventions, accordingly, leveraging AI at every stage. Neuroscience, synthetic intelligence, and machine studying enable the Harman-designed cameras and sensors in Prepared Care to categorise a driver’s behaviour right into a targeted versus a distracted state.
Machine studying and synthetic intelligence know-how additionally enable Harman to derive new and extra correct info on the sensing aspect. Our intervention engine partially makes use of ML/AI know-how to constantly enhance the effectiveness of the interventions—in later phases and on a private stage. The Harman algorithms are based mostly on educated neural networks. There’s a key give attention to associated knowledge assortment and algorithm coaching knowledge to make sure the answer is prepared for international deployment. It is a steady enchancment method based mostly on a data-driven course of.
Q: Millennials are recognized to worth options and aesthetics of their automobiles greater than earlier generations. How is Harman adapting to satisfy these altering preferences, notably by way of know-how integration and design?
Past setting up crystal-clear shows and wonderful sound programs, Harman works to combine these applied sciences in a approach that creatively optimizes the in-vehicle design and gives the cutting-edge experiences customers crave. For instance, we have now reimagined the cabin to streamline busy areas just like the dashboard and doorways, as a substitute benefiting from unused actual property on the windshield and seats for tech like Prepared Imaginative and prescient QVUE and SeatSonic.
Prepared Imaginative and prescient QVUE, the latest addition to the Prepared Imaginative and prescient product household, is an HDR-capable show designed to concisely ship the knowledge most necessary to the motive force—like mileage, velocity, driving stats, and alerts—on the underutilized decrease portion of the windshield. This enables for simple readability and eyes-forward driving, with out obstructing the motive force’s view of the highway. Prepared Imaginative and prescient QVUE’s reflective show is powered by Samsung Neo QLED, which gives a superb visible expertise whereas being an economical resolution for automakers.
In the meantime, SeatSonic strikes audio system from standard places, like doorways, trunks, and trim panels, into the seats. This places customers on the heart of a high-quality, custom-made listening expertise. SeatSonic’s user-centric method delivers a private sound subsystem that’s versatile, light-weight, and energy-saving for each passenger. By eradicating door audio system, automakers now not must battle for house for issues like storage, cup holders, chargers, or media ports. This additionally means releasing up about 200 cm2 extra of uncluttered trim floor space that was beforehand occupied by sound openings lined with grilles.
Q: Connectivity is turning into more and more necessary in automobiles. How is Harman addressing the demand for seamless connectivity options in cars, and what advantages do these options carry to customers?
Harman has lengthy established itself as a pacesetter in creating extra linked infrastructure throughout the V2X ecosystem. Harman’s newest Prepared Join 5G Telematics Management Unit, for instance, leverages state-of-the-art Snapdragon Digital Chassis linked automobile applied sciences from Qualcomm Applied sciences to push connectivity boundaries and democratize the automotive connectivity panorama. With the Snapdragon Modem-RF Gen 2 system, Harman Prepared Join 5G TCU provides unparalleled connectivity, whereas maximizing upgradability, scalability, and value to satisfy the evolving necessities of right this moment’s automotive market.
In collaboration with Visitors Know-how Companies (TTS), the one commercially out there platform providing linked security and mobility options at intersections worldwide, Prepared Join is ready to present real-time visitors info pertinent to a driver’s route, comparable to visitors gentle consciousness and development zone warning, with out having to depend on in-vehicle sensors.
Q: Personalisation is a rising pattern in client electronics. How does Harman incorporate customized experiences into automotive know-how, and what customization choices does it supply to customers?
Harman permits drivers to personalize their in-vehicle experiences by means of companies just like the Harman Ignite Retailer. An Android-based in-vehicle app retailer, the Harman Ignite Retailer, provides drivers and passengers entry to their favourite apps whereas giving OEMs management over the content material catalogue, consumer interface, and cost engine. Alongside Volkswagen Group’s CARIAD, we just lately introduced new in-vehicle experiences, together with Microsoft Groups and Reserving.com, to increase the vary of numerous apps out there for VW Group automobile drivers and passengers.
