Jaguar docks on to Intel for next-gen infotainment systems
The new facility at the US West coast in relative proximity to Intel helps Jaguar to drive the development of future vehicle systems. It also will direct the collaborative work with a number of technology partners, Jaguar said. The company chose the location of the centre for its proximity to the technology hubs in the Silicon Valley and Seattle. The proximity of Jaguar Land Rover’s new research facility to Intel Labs is enabling a collaborative relationship on research projects. Both companies already have multiple joint programs underway to explore and develop next-generation digital vehicle prototypes with in-vehicle cockpit experiences that connect car, device and cloud. The insights gained from the research programs along with alignment on engineering efforts will speed development on new innovative in-vehicle experiences.
Major development goals are building bridges between the infotainment systems in the living room and the vehicle and to extend the digital lifestyle of the users to their vehicles. This goal will include developments in the connectivity area. Intel Automotive Solutions manager Elliot Garbus hinted that at least some of these developments will be associated to cloud services.
Jaguar’s new ‘Open Software Technology Centre" in Portland will be the company’s first dedicated software R&D operation. Scheduled for launch in 2014, the facility will complement Jaguar’s current infotainment development team in Gaydon, United Kingdom. Facilities will include a multimedia creative suite, development labs and a six-bay vehicle workshop. The Portland operation will also complement the long-term research projects that will be undertaken by Jaguar Land Rover at the National Automotive Innovation Campus (NAIC) at the University of Warwick to be launched in 2016. These research projects include electrification of the power train, smart & connected cars and Human Machine Interface.
For some time, Intel is striving to gain grounds in the booming automotive market. So far, the IT heavyweight however sees little success; almost all of the dozens of microprocessors working in a car are provided by competitors such as Freescale, Texas Instruments, Renesas and Infineon. The only place in the vehicle where Intel succeeded to make some inroads is the head unit, which combines some infotainment and telematics functions. In the past couple of years, Intel intensified its efforts to gain traction in the automotive market. Among others, the company launched and automotive R&D centre in Karlsruhe, Germany, and the ‘Openmatics’ joint venture with transmission manufacturer ZF Friedrichshafen.
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