05-03-2013, 11:35 AM
Morphing Smartphones into Automotive Application Platforms
[attachment=52607]
INTRODUCTION
The combination of the application store phenomenon
and rapidly evolving hardware and software
capabilities has transformed smartphones into
the electronic equivalent of a Swiss Army knife.
Smartphones provide services ranging from navigation to
entertainment, and mobile applications make that content
accessible anytime, anywhere.
However, automobiles remain the one environment
where most people have seen little change in accessibility
due to safety concerns. Many have resorted to the dangerous
habit of using their handheld mobile devices while
driving, sparking new laws aimed at reducing the number
of distracted drivers. But as societies have become more
industrialized, the amount of time people spend in their
vehicles has increased sharply.1 Even if users are willing to
install expensive in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems or
head units, they’re usually restricted to a limited number
of applications provided by the car manufacturer because
of the closed and specialized nature of existing platforms.
Car docks
Docks are an inexpensive and popular solution for
mounting a smartphone on a car’s dashboard or windshield
so that the driver can use the phone’s touch screen
or keypad to access maps, play music, or send and receive
messages. Although this option gives drivers access
to their favorite applications, such usage is fraught with
risks. A mobile device’s form factor, interface, and interaction
mechanisms are not designed to minimize driver
distraction or to be used beyond arm’s length. Furthermore,
smartphones don’t have reliable mechanisms for
enforcing local driver distraction laws, such as, for example,
blocking access to video content while the vehicle
is in motion.
Another popular option is to mount a personal navigation
device (PND) such as those manufactured by Garmin
and TomTom on a car dock. However, because they focus
primarily on navigation services, PNDs have less versatility
compared to smartphone platforms in terms of application
capabilities.
Car head units
(http://microsites.audiusabrandsite/us/tech/mmi.html), Ford’s SYNC (www.fordvehiclestechnology/sync), and after-market head units such as those available from Alpine (www.alpine-usaproduct/category/av-head-units-head-units) have been the primary automotive application platforms to date. On the plus side, these options provide driver-friendly input and output mechanisms such as multifunctional knobs and sunlight-readable displays that are designed to minimize driver distraction. But on the negative side,
Vertical integration of smartphones
and car head units
Most of today’s head units can handle phone calls through the Bluetooth Hands-Free Profile Protocol, which lets drivers dial and receive calls while driving without touching the phone. Head units also utilize the USB Media Transfer Protocol to stream music files from mobile devices such as smartphones and portable music players.
Several recent efforts have attempted to vertically integrate smartphones with head units—for example, Ford’s SYNC system integrates with Google Maps so that a smartphone can send map directions to the head unit’s navigation software, and BMW’s iDrive head units can import e-mail messages and media content from BlackBerry devices. However, these integration efforts are subject to some limitations because they still depend on applications running natively on the head unit.
Security via authentication and attestation
To ensure driver and passenger safety as well as compliance with legal regulations, protocols must be in place to ensure that car head units can authenticate and trust smartphone software, applications, services, and content. Terminal Mode provides core mechanisms that not only allow authentication and attestation but also enable the car head unit to dynamically specify safety rules that need to be enforced based on specific context such as geographical location and vehicle status.
THE TERMINAL MODE CONCEPT
As Figure 1 shows, in Terminal Mode, the smartphone is the application platform for the automotive environment, and the car head unit is responsible for user input and output. The smartphone hosts and executes all applications and services and also acts as a communications gateway to the cloud. The head unit provides the physical I/O mechanisms through which the driver or passenger accesses the smartphone.
The user interface hardware can include output devices such as one or more displays, audio playback, and haptic feedback systems as well as input devices such as touch screens, buttons, multifunctional knobs, and microphones. By treating the smartphone like an application platform, Terminal Mode makes it much easier to add new capabilities to the car head unit by simply upgrading the smartphone.
[attachment=52607]
INTRODUCTION
The combination of the application store phenomenon
and rapidly evolving hardware and software
capabilities has transformed smartphones into
the electronic equivalent of a Swiss Army knife.
Smartphones provide services ranging from navigation to
entertainment, and mobile applications make that content
accessible anytime, anywhere.
However, automobiles remain the one environment
where most people have seen little change in accessibility
due to safety concerns. Many have resorted to the dangerous
habit of using their handheld mobile devices while
driving, sparking new laws aimed at reducing the number
of distracted drivers. But as societies have become more
industrialized, the amount of time people spend in their
vehicles has increased sharply.1 Even if users are willing to
install expensive in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems or
head units, they’re usually restricted to a limited number
of applications provided by the car manufacturer because
of the closed and specialized nature of existing platforms.
Car docks
Docks are an inexpensive and popular solution for
mounting a smartphone on a car’s dashboard or windshield
so that the driver can use the phone’s touch screen
or keypad to access maps, play music, or send and receive
messages. Although this option gives drivers access
to their favorite applications, such usage is fraught with
risks. A mobile device’s form factor, interface, and interaction
mechanisms are not designed to minimize driver
distraction or to be used beyond arm’s length. Furthermore,
smartphones don’t have reliable mechanisms for
enforcing local driver distraction laws, such as, for example,
blocking access to video content while the vehicle
is in motion.
Another popular option is to mount a personal navigation
device (PND) such as those manufactured by Garmin
and TomTom on a car dock. However, because they focus
primarily on navigation services, PNDs have less versatility
compared to smartphone platforms in terms of application
capabilities.
Car head units
(http://microsites.audiusabrandsite/us/tech/mmi.html), Ford’s SYNC (www.fordvehiclestechnology/sync), and after-market head units such as those available from Alpine (www.alpine-usaproduct/category/av-head-units-head-units) have been the primary automotive application platforms to date. On the plus side, these options provide driver-friendly input and output mechanisms such as multifunctional knobs and sunlight-readable displays that are designed to minimize driver distraction. But on the negative side,
Vertical integration of smartphones
and car head units
Most of today’s head units can handle phone calls through the Bluetooth Hands-Free Profile Protocol, which lets drivers dial and receive calls while driving without touching the phone. Head units also utilize the USB Media Transfer Protocol to stream music files from mobile devices such as smartphones and portable music players.
Several recent efforts have attempted to vertically integrate smartphones with head units—for example, Ford’s SYNC system integrates with Google Maps so that a smartphone can send map directions to the head unit’s navigation software, and BMW’s iDrive head units can import e-mail messages and media content from BlackBerry devices. However, these integration efforts are subject to some limitations because they still depend on applications running natively on the head unit.
Security via authentication and attestation
To ensure driver and passenger safety as well as compliance with legal regulations, protocols must be in place to ensure that car head units can authenticate and trust smartphone software, applications, services, and content. Terminal Mode provides core mechanisms that not only allow authentication and attestation but also enable the car head unit to dynamically specify safety rules that need to be enforced based on specific context such as geographical location and vehicle status.
THE TERMINAL MODE CONCEPT
As Figure 1 shows, in Terminal Mode, the smartphone is the application platform for the automotive environment, and the car head unit is responsible for user input and output. The smartphone hosts and executes all applications and services and also acts as a communications gateway to the cloud. The head unit provides the physical I/O mechanisms through which the driver or passenger accesses the smartphone.
The user interface hardware can include output devices such as one or more displays, audio playback, and haptic feedback systems as well as input devices such as touch screens, buttons, multifunctional knobs, and microphones. By treating the smartphone like an application platform, Terminal Mode makes it much easier to add new capabilities to the car head unit by simply upgrading the smartphone.