'Out of the box' solution for in-car wireless connectivity

Delivering a robust automotive-grade connected platform for developing in-vehicle infotainment solutions, the CSR and Mentor Graphics partnership aims to significantly reduce OEM engineering efforts. This will allow OEMs to focus their valuable time on design differentiation. The new platform enables systems with features such as in-car internet, smartphone tethering via Mirrorlink, hot-spot support via Wi-Fi, wideband hands-free calling and CD-like audio streaming via aptX over Bluetooth in addition to Bluetooth Smart support for emerging use cases such as keyless entry and temperature and pressure sensors.

Thomas Carmody, Head of Connectivity Marketing at CSR, comments: “Consumers expect in-vehicle wireless connectivity from whatever segment of the market they’re buying from. In addition, new wireless connectivity use cases continue to emerge, putting extra pressure on OEMs to deliver these features in an ever reducing market window. With IVI designers moving to standard open source platforms such as GENIVI Linux, we believe the combination of our high performance Bluetooth and Wi-Fi solutions with Mentor Graphics’ ATP will ensure our customers in the automotive market meet and exceed consumer demand.”

One of the most widely used connectivity solutions on the market, CSR Synergy has been integrated into many infotainment and telematics platforms by Tier One suppliers, since its introduction nine years ago. Continually updated to add the latest Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart and Wi-Fi use cases, the solution is regularly tested to ensure the highest levels of device compatibility with the latest smartphones.

Wireless connectivity has become a key standard in IVI systems for car makers. In 2014, the global Bluetooth attach rate is expected to be 65% and the Wi-Fi attach rate is expected to be 17% with further growth anticpated for both technologies. This larger difference in the connectivity attach rates mean that IVI designers need to have a connectivity solution that is capable of covering the wireless connectivity requirements for a number of automotive segments. With CSR connectivity devices and supporting CSR Synergy software, connectivity technologies, Bluetooth profiles and use cases can be added and removed easily without the customer investing significant engineering efforts after the initial deployment of the solution.

"Given the accelerated pace and complexity of automotive infotainment system development, both CSR and Mentor Graphics have recognised the need to minimise the effort for OEMs in this area. We believe this collaboration will lay the foundations for a solid infotainment proposition. CSR has an exciting roadmap of high performance hardware and software solutions that will extend the features of current-generation IVI into Telematics, vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure connectivity,” commented Scot Morrison, General Manager of Run-Time Solutions for Mentor Graphics Embedded Division.