Audi AG Adopts UMTS/HSDPA Technology From Telit Wireless Solutions For Its New Infotainment System
Telit Wireless Solutions will be equipping the new Audi A8 with UMTS/HSDPA-based broadband communications modules. The company has announced recently that the new, third-generation "MMI Navigation plus" infotainment system will offer the UC864-E-AUTO Telit automotive module as an optional feature starting in summer of 2010. This will give Audi customers the ability to make and receive telephone calls as well as use mobile Internet and other innovative online services.
In the high-end car market particularly, infotainment systems are becoming an increasingly critical differentiating feature among competing brands. The convenient connection of mobile devices, such as telephones, media players, or media storage to the infotainment system, coupled with the mobile connection of the vehicle to the Internet, places tough demands on individual technology components and their integration. With its connected MMI Navigation plus infotainment system, Audi also reaffirms its innovative leadership position in the field of online communications.
The MMI Navigation plus with MMI touch is the central control unit for quick and simple access to all infotainment functions. The system not only boasts the familiar functions of 3D-hard-drive navigation, telephone and media functions including 20 Gigabytes of free memory, CD/DVD drive, and integrated speech dialog system with multi-slot input, but now also features – for the first time – an innovative touchpad for handwriting recognition.
With the optionally-available "Bluetooth Autotelefon online," the UMTS/HSDPA module UC864-E-AUTO from Telit is now being integrated completely into the MMI system. Along with premium voice-controlled telephony via the Bluetooth SIM access profile or the plug-in SIM card, the system now also offers broadband mobile Internet access inside the car as standard. The application of this feature is twofold. The first being the channelling into the car of Audi online services such as point of interest searches, destination uploading to the car from home, retrieval of weather forecast information, travel information and news headlines, as well as Google Earth online satellite maps. The second being the functionality of an Internet access point which can be used by passengers with mobile wireless LAN devices in the form of a "rolling hotspot."
The UC864-E-AUTO is a single-band UMTS/HSDPA and quad-band EDGE module developed especially for the needs of the automotive industry. The module provides an ultra-fast data transfer of up to 7.2 Megabits/s at 2100 MHz. Thanks to its extremely compact size and extended temperature range to comply with automotive standards, it fits perfectly within the cramped physical confines of the vehicle.
"The UC864-AUTO is the world's first UMTS/HSDPA module to enable a mobile broadband connection for cars to the Internet. It is therefore the centerpiece in the development of next generation Telematics and infotainment systems," said Dominikus Hierl, Managing Director Strategic Accounts & Corporate Business Development at Telit Communications PLC. "We're immensely proud that our module has proven its ability and has become a pivotal component of such a fascinating and innovative system as the MMI Navigation plus from Audi."
About Telit
Telit Wireless Solutions, Inc., is an internationally leading specialist in wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) technology. Telit is the only company worldwide to offer communications modules for all of the various wireless technologies: it develops, produces and markets modules for GSM/GPRS, UMTS/WEDGE/HSDPA, CDMA and short-range RF applications. M2M applications rationalise business processes by enabling machines, equipment and vehicles to communicate with each other via mobile networks.
Telit products are used all over the world and marketed via offices in Brazil, China, Denmark, Germany, France, the UK, Israel, Italy, Korea, Spain, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey and the USA. Partners can obtain Telit modules globally. Telit Communications PLC is listed on AIM (ticker: TCM).
For more information visit www.telit.com.
SOURCE: Telit Wireless Solutions, Inc.