Attendees at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show witnessed the introduction of seven new automotive technologies from Kia Motors that include touch sensitive controls with haptic feedback and world firsts that include live digital TV reception and nine band antennas.
The view from the Summit
It’s true that most of us here at Summit Place Kia in metro Detroit get far more excited about what a vehicle looks like and how it performs. But even we have to admit that, increasingly, a car’s performance is not only based on how it drives, but on how the driver interacts with the various control systems within the vehicle.
This year, the big news from Kia Motors at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was the introduction of the all-new ‘UVO powered by Microsoft®’ in-car multimedia system. But in addition to the UVO (short for ‘Your Voice’) system, Kia also introduced seven new infotainment technologies that, according to the company, “will appear in future Kia vehicles.”
1. UVO
Short for “your voice”, Kia calls their all-new UVO system the “world’s most advanced in-car multimedia technology.” Using Microsoft® intelligent speech technology, UVO combines both voice and hand-activated technology to manage everything from music files to hands-free communications within the vehicle.
Mr. Hyoung-Keun Lee, President of Kia Motors Corporation, had this to say about the future of Kia automobiles: “Kia is investing in a five-year IT and technology advancement program to provide drivers and passengers with safe and easy-to-use personalized in-vehicle communications and entertainment and to offer consumers an experience that will give our cars a clear competitive advantage.”
2. ‘Touch-sensitive’ control panel
The installation of the UVO system in future Kia vehicles will also feature a proprietary touch-sensitive control panel. One of the advantages of this type of interface over normal buttons is the improved response time to driver and passenger inputs as well as an expected increase in durability with fewer parts.
In addition to these user advantages, the use of touch panels with Field Effect ASIC (inner and outer electrodes triggered by finger contact) will also allow Kia’s engineers and designers to rethink how the interior design of Kia models can best be adapted to improve the driver and passenger-to-vehicle interface.
3. World’s first ‘haptic’ steering wheel controls
Kia also displayed the world’s first ‘haptic’ control module built into a car’s steering wheel. This touch-sensitive control is positioned for easy operation by the driver’s thumb. Not only that, it also generates “reactive feedback vibrations”, much like a number of current video game control modules. The one displayed at this year’s CES featured seven modes to control all elements of a vehicle’s audio system.
Using this type of control system, drivers will be able to quickly learn to monitor the car’s systems through touch alone, while keeping their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road, thus improving road safety.
4. Full Telematics service
Kia also displayed an all-new full Telematics service that operates through a vehicle’s built-in audio system via hands-free Bluetooth® technology to facilitate better connectivity. The service features 40 bytes-per-second transfer speed (830 bytes-per-second of raw data).
The system will also provide for automatic emergency service calls (in the event of an accident where airbags are deployed) as well as navigation and vehicle diagnostics service.
5. ‘Live’ digital TV in an automobile
Kia’s new TV technology will enable live digital television channels to be watched on in-car entertainment systems for the first time. Uninterrupted TV reception is possible at speeds of up to 180 mph (no word on how this was tested), while delivering dual-band television transmissions (the television signal, itself, runs through the car’s audio system) featuring high-quality broadcasts designed to entertain rear seat occupants.
6. ‘Widget’ framework for a wireless communications hub
Developed in partnership with Ubivelox, Kia’s new widget system will allow users easier access to key services by reducing the number of steps involved in accessing them via the car’s terminal screen. The widget can receive RSS news and financial feeds, immediate traffic and weather reports and updates from networking SNS applications such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
7. Active Antennas with two world ‘first’ technologies
Co-developed with Korean-based Ace-Antenna, Kia introduced two multi-use, high performance antennas.
The ‘Unity External Shark Fin Antenna’ is the world’s first nine-band system that reads a variety of signals, including CDMA and GPS. This antenna also incorporates a conventional analog radio aerial.
The second antenna is another world ‘first’. Kia’s ‘Unity Internal Mirror Antenna’ features six bands and is incorporated into the rear-view mirror housing. Designed for Telematics and ITS reception, this second antenna also supports CDMA and GPS signals.
