Autoblog

Hand gesture controls coming to a car near you?

Zach Bowman — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 19:02:00 EST

It looks as if the gesture-sensitive interface for the Cadillac Cue infotainment system is just the beginning of gesture integration in our vehicles. Wired reports that Microsoft is already investigating ways to incorporate technology lifted from its Xbox Kinect. Likewise, Harman has unveiled a new system that recognizes both hand and facial cues to control various cabin features. Drivers can reportedly use eye blinks to turn the stereo on, tilt their heads to turn up the volume and even tap the steering wheel to skip songs. Temperature adjustment gets taken care of by raising or lowering a hand above the gear shift, while pulling up a Bluetooth-connected phone is as simple as mimicking a phone with a hand.

How does it work? The system relies on an infrared sensor to "watch" for certain gestures. When it sees them, it passes a signal to separate processor, which in turn handles the connected hardware.

That sounds all well and good, but as anyone who's stood cursing at a motion-activated faucet in an airport restroom can tell you, these systems aren't foolproof. Fortunately, Harman says it won't have anything ready for market until it's been thoroughly tested, which may be up to three years from now.

Hand gesture controls coming to a car near you? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Jul 2012 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota readying Intellitouch touchpad controllers?

Chris Tutor — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Toyota

"Intellitouch" is the name Toyota will apparently use to refer to a new electronic control scheme it is developing. That's according to Car and Driver, which has spotted the name in a new Toyota trademark application. According to the submission, the name refers to "electronic touch sensitive controllers, sold as an integral part of motor vehicles."

C/D speculates that for Toyota to bother developing a brand name, there must be more to the new gadgets than just touchscreen navigation. In fact, the magazine thinks Toyota is gearing up for Intellitouch to compete with Cadillac's Cue and Ford's MyFordTouch and their capacitive touch switchgear. The control setup could also be similar to the gesture-based touchpad systems already offered by Audi and shortly, by BMW.

Another Toyota trademark filing is for "EBIN," a wireless charging system for personal electronics. While inductive chargers have been around for a while, several automakers are rushing to include them in upcoming models. General Motors recently trademarked the name, "Dockspot" for its version.

Toyota readying Intellitouch touchpad controllers? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next Volkswagen infotainment system to use capacitive touchscreens, proximity sensors

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Infotainment

The next Volkswagen Golf will be chock-full of standard and optional technology features, but its all-new Modular Infotainment System has the potential to set a new benchmark for both high-end and entry-level navigation, entertainment and connectivity.

Three new systems will be available when the 2013 Golf goes on sale in Europe towards the end of this year, starting with a five-inch touchscreen and moving up to a 5.8-inch unit and finally a range-topping eight-inch system. Each unit will be equipped with a capacitive touchscreen, with the eight-inch version packing an 800x450 resolution screen, multitouch functionality and the same NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor set to debut in future Audi models, including the next A3. Making use of that high-powered chipset will be revamped 3D graphics for menus and mapping, with free nav updates available for three years and the ability to activate additional features after the initial vehicle purchase.

Handwriting recognition will also be included in the system, much like the system already offered by Audi, which will allow users to skip the soft keyboard and write out destinations and point-of-interest searches. Additionally, VW is looking to include MirrorLink functionality (which essentially mirrors your phone's screen on the navigation display), as expected, Internet-connectivity through smartphone tethering will be an option, along with the ability to create a WLAN hotspot.

Finally, VW tells Autoblog it plans to integrate proximity sensors into the head unit - similar to Cadillac's CUE system - switching over from "display mode" to "operating mode" when it detects the driver or passenger's hand moving towards the screen. The proximity sensors could also detect which side of the screen your hand is placed and then highlight specific features for easier selection.

Naturally, pricing for each system won't be released until the Golf goes on sale in Europe this fall and hits the U.S. sometime in 2013, but VW representatives made it clear that these systems will be priced aggressively in order to compete with other feature-rich competitors.

Next Volkswagen infotainment system to use capacitive touchscreens, proximity sensors originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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