AUTOMOBILE Video: Talking HTML5 with Audi’s Mathias Halliger

Derek Kuhn

From the elegant look outside to the technology inside, Audi has some of the most advanced cars on the road today. At CES this year, I sat down with Mathias Halliger, head of architecture, MMI system, for Audi AG, to talk about some of this technology and how HTML5 will transform the infotainment systems found in their cars.

Mathias firmly believes that HTML5 is an automotive game changer because of the doors it can open for OEMs, technology providers, app developers, and consumers. So pass the popcorn and without further ado, here is the latest video in our HTML5 video series.

Living the Networked Life in New York City

Derek Kuhn

Last week, we demonstrated our latest concept car, built on a Porsche 911 Carrera S, at AT&T’s Living the Networked Life Event in New York City. The car has been on the road since we unveiled it at CES — it even went to Spain for MWC. We ran out of time to ship it to New York, so Mark Rigley, manager of the concept development group at QNX, and I drove it from Ottawa to SoHo. It was my first time driving the Porsche anywhere outside of a ball room, and it turned out to be a great drive.

Mark is super protective of the car, as he’s entitled to be, and he and the team have done a great job putting it together. But wouldn’t you know it? He let me drive and, as I’m pulling off Interstate 81 in Cortland NY, we get rear-ended. No — for real. I pull over, Mark jumps out, and I’m checking the side mirror to open the door safely in traffic but I’m mortified. Turns out that the Porsche’s rear valance is strong like a bull, and we emerge with just a series of scuff marks.

We drove through Binghamton, Scranton, and Poconos to get to the city. Traffic got faster and denser as we entered New Jersey, but Mark, to my surprise, let me drive again! We arrived at the hotel and handed the car off to a professional detailer before it was parked on site.

After setting up the car, we were ready. Soon we were joined by press, analysts, and AT&T partners and executives who all came out to see an important part of the car’s story — the use of AT&T’s WATSON speech engine. The Porsche is a great way to illustrate how helpful WATSON can be in an environment like the car.


Derek (seated in the car) with Mazin Gilbert of AT&T and Jordan Crook of TechCrunch.

The event was a big success and featured a presentation from Krish Prabhu, president and CEO of AT&T Labs Research; it also included demonstrations from AT&T Labs and AT&T Foundry. The demos included a smart door that recognizes you before you reach for your keys, and a smartphone application that performs language translations in real time.

The car will be on the road in coming weeks, including a stop at the CTIA Wireless show in New Orleans, from May 8 to 10. If you're there, be sure to check us out in the Solutions Showcase.
 

AUTOMOBILE C3 recap: The future of the connected car

UPDATE: CE Week has uploaded audio and video of the C3 panels that Derek covers in this post. To hear what experts from companies like AT&T, BMW, Delphi, GM, and QNX see on the horizon for the connected car, visit the Connected Car Conference website — Ed.

Derek Kuhn

“Automotive has always been a wellspring of technology and innovation.” Those ten words, spoken by Doug Newcomb, car technology consultant and conference chair — and occasional QNX blog contributor — brought the Connected Car Conference (C3) to a successful close. The conference, co-located with CEA’s CE Week in New York City, featured panels on issues and trends for the connected car: big data, the future of radio, driver distraction, and more.

I was honored to sit on a panel that included executives from General Motors, AT&T Emerging Devices, and Audiovox, and that tackled the question on the minds of everyone in the industry: how can cars keep pace with consumer electronics? Traditionally, the speed of car development has trailed consumer devices, but with consumers looking at their cars as another connected gadget, the industry is working to bring technology into the car faster, while still providing a safe, reliable experience. As GM’s Tim Nixon put it, “we want to make the car better from the day you drive it off the lot.”

Striking a balance
Tim’s comment touches on something we frequently discuss — the significance of over-the-air (OTA) updates in ensuring that a car always has the latest technology. In fact, my colleague, Tina Jeffrey, just wrote a blog post on the topic; it's worth a read. Another point that came up is the need to balance security with consumers’ desire for cutting-edge technology. As I pointed out, not all infotainment systems are created equal — security shouldn’t be an afterthought in the pursuit of the latest and greatest tech. Rather, it should be deeply engrained in each step of the software development process. At the same time, consumer choice also has to be balanced with what OEMs are comfortable with.

Driving big data

John Quain of the NYT hosts the big data panel.
Photo: Doug Newcomb

John Quain of the New York Times hosted a panel on big data, which was full of insights on how data is being used to connect drivers and their cars. In response to the question, “how can big data in automotive save lives?” Delphi’s Doug Welk commented that, while data on crashes was abundant and readily available, data on near misses — which is even more important to understanding how to prevent accidents — is scant. Telenav’s Niall Berkey pointed out something that my colleague Andrew Poliak often discusses: the importance of the car as a sensor. For instance, by using information on how a driver is behaving, a car could activate assisted-driving technologies to reduce the likelihood of an accident.

Dealing with distraction
During the “Dealing with Driver Distraction” panel, representatives from the Auto Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Nuance, NVIDIA, and Pioneer spoke on how the industry is working to curb distraction. Gloria Bergquist of the Auto Alliance stated that the concern is nothing new; when car radios were first introduced in the middle of the last century, industry watchers claimed that drivers’ attention would be diverted by the novelty.

Gloria also drew from her organization’s recent report, which showed that most drivers overestimate how well they can handle distractions and think that it’s other drivers who can’t cope. Erik Clauson of Nuance discussed how voice recognition technologies — like the QNX intent framework — can play a large role in decreasing the cognitive load of drivers. Dave Anderson of NVIDIA defended skeumorphism — a design aesthetic that has received much criticism as of late — as a way to increase the intuitiveness of user interfaces and therefore decrease distraction. For example, digital instrument clusters that look like conventional (and familiar) analog instruments can enhance the driving experience.

Continuing the conversation
The day ended with a networking reception — a unique opportunity to pick the brains of the some of the industry’s thought leaders and observers. While I got to spend only a short time in New York for the event, I am look forward to next year when we can continue this conversation on the industry’s challenges and innovations.

AUTOMOBILE Hitting the road with CNET on Cars

Derek Kuhn

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge fan of Brian Cooley and his CNET on Cars show. Brian brings energy, insight, and humor to his coverage of cars and car technology — he's a joy to watch. My son and I like the show so much that it has become a ritual to watch the latest episodes together.

Over the years, Brian has gotten behind the wheel of several QNX technology concept cars. For example, at 2015 CES, he got up close and personal with our concept car based on a Bentley Continental. And just last month, he took our latest concept car, based on a Mercedes-Benz CLA45, for a drive through the streets of San Francisco.

While I was in SF, Brian and I discussed the rise of 4G connectivity in vehicles and the benefits it will bring — including a better user experience and the ability to keep the car fresh with over-the-air updates. Brian included our conversation in his recent segment on 4G in the car — check out the video, below. The episode begins with a review of the new Audi A3, which, I am proud to say, also uses an infotainment system powered by QNX technology.



What are your thoughts on 4G connectivity in the car? I would love to hear from you.

The drive to 2015 CES — first stop: Connected Car Conference

Derek Kuhn

The 2015 International CES show is just 6 months away. As a preview of what we’ll see in January, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) recently held its annual CEWeek, which included a special half-day event focused on the connected car and its influence on consumers’ lives.

Chaired by industry veteran Doug Newcomb, the Connected Car Conference (C3) explored some of the most pressing trends for connected automotive technology, including distracted driving, the Internet of Things, and the possibility of a self-driving future.

I took part in the panel discussion on safeguarding driver privacy. Moderated by Roger Lanctot of Strategy Analytics, the panel also included representatives from AVG Technologies, Covisint, HARMAN, and the Intelligent Car Coalition.

The panel covered both security and privacy — two different but intimately related topics — and sparked a lively exchange that ran the gamut from key fobs and VIN numbers to software practices and regulatory agencies. Check it out:



The countdown to 2015 CES has officially started. I’ll see you in Vegas — in 183 days!