Best innovation in the “Car Tech” category
- Driver information system from Bosch with an open-source operating system
- Chevrolet MyLink combines entertainment, navigation, communication and operating functions in a single electronic unit
The new MyLink infotainment system from Chevrolet received the “Best-of-CES Award 2013” at the Consumer Electronics Show 2013 in Las Vegas. What is behind the operating concept of the MyLink for the 2014 model of the new Chevrolet Impala is the automotive know-how of General Motors and Bosch, the in-depth knowledge of the sensitive interface between the user and technology. MyLink was chosen by the judges as the best innovation in the “Car Tech” category.
With this system, General Motors and the Bosch Car Multimedia division have developed a completely new platform for automotive infotainment to massproduction maturity – a driver information system that works with an open-source operating system. “Thanks to natural voice input, our new head unit is now also even easier for the car driver to operate,” says Dr. Uwe Thomas, President of the Car Multimedia division at Bosch. Up until now, it was necessary for the driver to memorize a specific string of commands to operate the system. In contrast, this latest system is able to understand the driver as if s/he was talking to someone sitting on the passenger seat.
Central unit for entertainment, information, communication and operation The car driver uses the head unit in Chevrolet vehicles to control the audio and video systems, players connected via USB or Bluetooth®, smartphones, special vehicle emergency call systems like OnStar, telematics services, radio reception via AM, FM, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, DAB or Pandora® internet radio, video-based parking systems as well as the vehicle navigation, and climate control. In short: all the infotainment and operating systems in a vehicle you can imagine. In addition, the head unit also allows communication between the different systems with one another – without the driver having to take any action. It affords more information, more convenience and relieves the driver of many otherwise tedious activities. This is what the experts at Bosch call “Driving Convenience”.
Wide range of interfaces The system is able to accommodate a wide variety of different communication options with external devices and media: up to ten parallel connections via Bluetooth 3.0 and USB interfaces, iPod and iPhone connectivity, an SD card slot, Bluetooth® connection for mobile telephony with voice control, hands-free operation with noise suppression and the ability to read, analyze and play back virtually any popular digital audio and video format. Bosch Car Multimedia President Uwe Thomas describes the innovation in a nutshell: “The head unit from Bosch opens up completely new forms of communication, information and in-car operation for the driver.”
