NORTHVILLE — Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America Inc. has introduced a new audio-video bridging system for automotive interiors called FlexConnect.
The company said the infotainment system provides flexibility for multiple displays and multiple content streams, allowing passengers to enjoy individual entertainment preferences.
“Our new system improves the overall experience for passengers who can now make individual choices about the entertainment and data they use, including media they bring into the vehicle,” said Doug Ray, director of audio video and communications for Mitsubishi Electric.
FlexConnect features two rear seat screens with cameras that operate as independent units while still being connected through Ethernet architecture. The system supports Wi-Fi connectivity and can be used with multiple smart phones or tablets, allowing users’ content to be available in the vehicle.
Additional features of FlexConnect include:
* An “any media on any screen” feature that allows sharing from one screen to another with a simple tap on the screen
* Interactivity between the two screens, allowing passengers to play games or send photos back and forth
* Control of content from the front seat, allowing parents to preview and override rear seat programming
* Cameras installed above each rear seat screen to allow monitoring of rear seat occupants.
Concepts for future FlexConnect features include:
* Navigation selection, allowing passengers to choose a destination and send it to the vehicle’s navigation system
* Occupant recognition, enabling personalized layouts, contact lists, device defaults and audio preferences that allow each user to step into their own personal entertainment system
* The ability to offload alerts, such as traffic and navigation information, from the head unit onto the tablet, allowing the front seat passenger to decide when the driver should be informed. This gives the passenger access to detailed alerts while preventing distracted driving.
Ray said FlexConnect “lets kids entertain themselves in rear seats, while parents have ultimate control of the kids’ entertainment. It essentially eliminates the need to bring content into the vehicle on a disk. Passengers now control the content and the way it is displayed using paired devices and streaming.”
Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America is a U.S. affiliate company of Mitsubishi Electric Corp., established in 1979 to serve the North American automotive, heavy duty truck and coach business. Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America offers engineering, manufacturing, sales, marketing, distribution and service of
electrical and electronic systems and components for automobiles, heavy trucks, buses and commercial engine manufacturers, serving both OEMs and the aftermarket.
More at www.meaa-mea.com.