The Line Between Telematics And Infotainment Blurs Even Further

As a supplier of real-time operating systems and other software for telematics, infotainment, and navigation, QNX recognizes what it has to do to help automakers reserve capacity. “The OEMs that we’ve talked to are not necessarily really interested in having a completely open environment for downloading stuff,” says Andy Gryc, senior automotive marketing manager at QNX.

QNX’s OS approach allows OEMs to control system operation and third-party developers through an applications store. Its adaptive partitioning technology avoids overloading the CPU with newly installed software. QNX also helps to reserve headroom. “We give them the capability to reserve some of that out so they can fully test their system in kind of a lesser capacity,” says Gryc.

CHANGE IS GOOD
As consumers embrace the automobile as a required part of their connectivity, carmakers must respond. The right response can add an important item to their list of vehicle differentiators.

“They can bridge the gap of staying current with this system during the 10-year life expectancy of the car owner,” says David Stone, director of marketing, Automotive Strategic Business Unit, NEC Electronics America. “Whoever solves some of that problem, to keep it as current as possible with upgrades over time, that will be a major solution to the consumer.”

Regarding the blurred line between telematics and infotainment, NEC’s John has a bold conclusion. “In not too many years hence, there will be no line between those,” he predicts.

Strategy Analytics’ Fitzgerald sums up the telematics-infotainment situation rather nicely. “The experts can’t agree what it is. The consumer doesn’t know and actually, the consumer doesn’t really care, as long as the system works and does what they need,” he says.