See future mobility concepts at MWC

The concept car from Rinspeed (see video below) leverages NXP technology to bring together some of the most talked about features of the connected car into one showcase.

Lars Reger, Vice President, Automotive New Business and R&D, NXP, comments:“The car as we know it is transforming from a simple mode of transport to a personalised mobile information hub - fully connected to the outside world. Technologies for autonomous driving and seamless connectivity are helping to create a more entertaining, personalised experience for consumers. They also make driving safer and easier. With the concept car and the Open Mobility Forum at the NXP booth, we are inviting everybody to join the discussion of what the secure connected car of tomorrow will look like and which innovations are needed to enable it.”

Autonomous driving

Autonomous driving will lead to a very different mobility experience for future generations, and will have a deep impact on our daily lives. With an estimated 90 percent of road accidents currently caused by human error, automated driving will make a significant difference to road safety by using technologies that reliably replace the human senses of a driver, and give vehicles the ability to recognise and interpret their environment.

NXP will discuss two key enabling technologies for autonomous driving at MWC – secure V2X and high performance radar.

Secure V2X adds ‘telepathic’ abilities by extending the drivers’ view up to one mile beyond their line of sight, allowing drivers to ‘see’ around corners or beyond obstacles such as big trucks. NXP’s RoadLink chipset for secure V2X will be integrated in Delphi Automotive’s communication platform for selected General Motors’ car models from 2017 onwards. It was also recently awarded ‘excellent performance’ in challenging road trials by Audi. Secure V2X technology will form a central component in autonomous driving and can be seen in action at the NXP booth.

High performance radar sensors are a key component of self-driving cars. Today, radar sensors already exist in applications such as lane change assistant, blind spot detection or adaptive cruise control. Autonomous driving takes radar a step further, building new architectures that ‘cocoon’ the car with high performance radar sensing. At MWC, NXP will discuss the significant steps in size, power consumption and performance required to enable the step up from today’s radar-based assistance systems to fully autonomous driving.

Seamless connectivity and entertainment

The Rinspeed concept car integrates a variety of functions that will change the way passengers access the car, engage with a variety of services and enjoy customised entertainment:

• NXP smart key technology securely identifies the drivers as they approach the car. The car automatically unlocks and welcomes the driver with customised settings, such as welcome light and message. The NXP car access chip solution is ultra-compact to fit in all end devices, such as phones, key rings or smart watches.
• A wireless NFC-based charging pad inside the car charges the smartphone wirelessly while syncing the phone and car to activate customised colours, mirror positions, radio stations, temperatures and seat settings. As NFC has become a common feature in global smartphone models, a variety of new features can be expected in the car of the future, from simplifying the car sharing access and payment to granting secure one-time access to the car for third parties, for example to have shopping bags delivered right to the trunk.
• Intelligent license plates, fitted with long-range secure RFID tags, enable easy access to restricted parking areas. Payment can be automatically arranged while leaving the parking area.
• Future proof entertainment is able to deal with all major global radio and TV standards. The car demonstration features NXP’s latest generation of software-defined radio, which has just entered mass production. It also features intelligent amplifiers to enhance sound quality.

Security is the foundation

As with any other wireless connection or network, communication is exposed to security risks that must be guarded against in order to prevent access from hackers and other potential threats. To do this, the quality and integrity of data has to be ensured and privacy needs to be protected. At MWC, NXP addresses these issues of security and privacy as trustworthy solutions are needed to make the connected car a reality.

NXP also invites visitors to join the ‘future mobility discussion’ with industry leaders Cisco, Ford, ERTICO ITS Europe, Telit and NXP at an Open Mobility Forum at the NXP booth on Tuesday, 3rd March, 3.30-4.30pm. Panelists and participants will discuss how technology will change our mobility experience, as well as the challenges and obstacles along the way.