Rounding out HARMAN’s CES announcements – ahead of CES – the company is making a few announcements regarding in-car experiences. For in-car audio, HARMAN is debuting AudioworX which is a new open audio platform that will enable a broad community of developers “to deliver differentiating, technology-fueled in-car experiences for all vehicle segments.” HARMAN is also debuting Configurable Entertainment, which is going to provide a personalized experience for each passenger. And finally, there’s Moodscape, which is a rather cool product from HARMAN. It is using the new QLED Auto (also announced today) to provide a visual experience on the roof of the vehicle. So instead of a moonroof or a sunroof, users instead get a Moodscape which can keep you calm in traffic jams.
AudioworX, as already mentioned, is a new open platform for developers to take advantage of, and it has three main components. This includes the operating system, the library and tuning tools. Combined, these will allow developers to take full control of the audio experience in the vehicle. The operating system is a unified platform, which will allow HARMAN to rapidly design and update the entire platform without needing to upgrade hardware. While the library will have an extensive DSP library, with more than 200 components that will help accelerate the delivery of rich new audio features. Finally, tuning tools is a comprehensive tuning tool kit that “provides smart, seamless, intuitive, configuration capabilities.” HARMAN says that AudioworX is available to OEM’s today, and has already been working with several global technology partners here, which are slated to be announced in early 2018.
Configurable Entertainment is all about car and ride-sharing, for HARMAN. It includes proprietary shape-shifting speakers. Which means the in-vehicle speakers will change in real-time, providing a unique experience to each rider in the vehicle. The speakers can change from audio brand experience to another, for instance, change from Harman Kardon over to JBL or over to AKG. It also features a unique industrial design, which uses brand-specific visual elements, including the logos and grilles, which can also change in real-time to match the user’s preferences. Finally, there’s Adaptive Audio EQ’s, so sound tuning will be adjusted on-demand, allowing the rider to get the best listening experience possible. Configurable Entertainment works with HARMAN’s Ignite Cloud Platform – which also got an update announced today – giving the user seamless connectivity and device management.
Finally, we have Moodscape. HARMAN says that OEM’s are focusing more on the interior of their vehicles, and HARMAN has an answer for that. And that’s Moodscape. It utilizes Samsung’s QLED panels, through QLED Auto – also announced today – and the display on the roof of the vehicle can intuitively adjust the in-cabin audio experience. So you can get mood-based EQ from the music playing in the car. Or you can also get environmental sounds in the car, through Moodscape, one of the examples HARMAN talked about was showing a bunch of trees on the roof, to make it feel like you are in a forest, instead of stuck in traffic.
HARMAN says that AudioworX, Configurable Entertainment and Moodscape will all be demoed at its booth at CES in January. So expect to hear plenty more on all of these in-car experiences once CES kicks off next month in Las Vegas.
Configurable Entertainment
Moodscape
