HARMAN Automotive Division is the world’s leading manufacturer of integrated infotainment systems and plays an active role in driving the future of automobile industry.
Infotainment is the collective term for the information, communication and entertainment systems that are playing an increasingly important role in a society with a highly developed level of mobility. However, security and energy efficiency are increasingly rivaling entertainment and comfort in terms of their growing importance. This is precisely what the infotainment systems from HARMAN Automotive Division have to offer. Thanks to the close cooperation of the research, development, design and marketing teams with the automobile manufacturers, it has proven possible to develop innovative, secure and technically sophisticated systems. HARMAN does not just supply the individual components and systems, but also integrates these in the vehicle environment to optimum effect. Flexible and secure component networking in the vehicle is now a reality with maximum speeds of up to 150 MBit/sec. Thanks to the MOST technology, the digital data is transferred without loss and without problems with electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).
Each automobile manufacturer, each vehicle model and, of course, each end user, makes different demands on entertainment electronics. HARMAN Automotive Division offers a broad range of products, ranging from a simple car radio to complete infotainment systems - for small cars, limousines, estate cars, sports cars and all terrain vehicles.
High-Speed Navigation
HARMAN sets standards in navigation. Dynamic route calculation, a large range of points of interest, additional information about the trip, refined and detailed driving instructions and new 3D visualizations are all part of the current navigation generation. Hard disk drive (HDD) and memory card-based navigation, 3D city models and landscapes, scalable cards for every display size – these are just some of the countless highlights.
Telephone/Telematic Solutions & Voice Dialog Systems
Innovative algorithms for signal processing and microphone technology dampen interference signals, suppress wind noises and add missing partial frequencies from the received voice signal. Optimum system functionality through complete integration and networking with the vehicle environment, for example by means of Bluetooth technology, is just as much taken for granted as the high level of operating comfort. Voice dialog systems also allow navigation destinations to be input as entire words, for example.
Human Machine Interfaces (HMI)
HARMAN Automotive Division is also carrying out research into the design of Human Machine Interfaces (HMI). Information input, interaction between users and the system and information output must be brought together to produce a secure, speedy and simple solution.
Analog/Digital Tuners and Receivers
Of course, in addition to all the new areas of competency, HARMAN also stays true to tradition. After all, digital technologies like DAB, HD radio, DRM or SDARS are greatly on the increase. Mobile digital television is another project being developed by HARMAN specialists to production-readiness that will have huge significance in the future. Innovative hybrid tuner concepts also offer brilliant digital and analog reception.
Multimedia Players
The increasing diversity and complexity of the various removable media and the different applications in the car require intelligent media management. In addition to the optimum networking of the multimedia components in the car, networking to external devices is also playing an increasingly significant role. Portable devices like MP3 players have made a place for themselves in cars. HARMAN has responded to this with a reproduction option not just for all the usual A/V formats such as CD, DVD Audio, DVD Video, DTS-CD, SVCD and MP3, but also for new formats, such as WMA, AAC or SACD. Removable media make the business of the transfer from the PC to the car quick and easy. Whether on PC card, SD card, Memory Stick or Microdrive, your personal music library is always to hand. Naturally we have long offered a genuine connection to mobile entertainment electronics, including in-car display, user guidance via the built-in vehicle control unit and voice dialog system.
Displays, Headphones and Rear Seat Entertainment
Anyone dealing with mobile entertainment must naturally also be interested in display, headphones and complete rear seat entertainment technologies.
Graphical controllers specially developed by HARMAN guarantee brilliant colors and excellent resolution. Extended viewing angles for rear seat displays in complete entertainment systems guarantee the best possible view, irrespective of the passenger’s position. The innovative AKG headphones concept with high-end acoustic technology, new wearing solutions and materials make every journey an experience for passengers.