Innovative new design demonstrates how digital instrument clusters can make realtime information in the connected car faster, easier, more enjoyable to access
QNX Software Systems Limited, a subsidiary of BlackBerry and a global leader in software platforms for in-car electronics, and Rightware, a leader in automotive user interface design tools, today unveiled their latest collaboration: a fully digital and reconfigurable instrument cluster for the QNX® technology concept car.
The new concept demonstrates how digital instrument clusters powered by the QNX® Neutrino® operating system and the Rightware® Kanzi® UI Solution are helping to transform the driving experience. For example, the cluster integrates with the car’s infotainment system to display a wealth of realtime information — from local speed limits and turn-by-turn directions to traffic reports and incoming phone calls. And because the cluster is fully digital, it can dynamically change views, highlighting the most important information and using advanced visualizations to help the driver process information more quickly.
“QNX Software Systems and Rightware have already worked together on successful production programs, including the exciting new Audi virtual cockpit,” said Peter McCarthy, director of global alliances, QNX Software Systems. “Leveraging our joint experience, we created this cluster for the QNX technology concept car to demonstrate how our technologies not only make in-vehicle systems easier to develop, but enable drivers to take best advantage of the rich information available in the connected car.”
The cluster’s advanced user experience is made possible by the integration between the Rightware Kanzi UI Solution and the QNX OS. The Kanzi UI Solution enables HMI designers to rapidly design high-quality UIs with photorealistic real-time 2D and 3D graphics. The QNX OS makes it easy for developers using Rightware’s Kanzi UI Solution to access vehicle data and services — including navigation, multimedia, speed, RPM, and car diagnostics — by providing an abstraction layer based on QNX persistent publish/subscribe (PPS) technology.
Together, the QNX OS and the Kanzi Engine run-time module also enable the development of UIs that meet automotive requirements for start-up time, screen refresh times, reliability, and memory consumption.
“The QNX technology concept car really showcases how our Kanzi UI Solution can help automotive companies create advanced user interfaces for their production-quality environments. We are very honored to work with QNX Software Systems, a global automotive software leader, and we are very excited that they have elected to work with us on this project,” said Jonas Geust, Rightware CEO. “We have had a great working relationship with QNX on many car HMIs that are already in mass production and, with this project, we are pleased to strengthen our cooperation and push the envelope of what we can do together.”
Demonstrations at Telematics Detroit
Rightware will showcase their UI technology at Telematics Detroit, booth 111. For more information, please go to http://www.rightware.com/telematics-detroit-2014-june-4-5-novi-michigan-usa. QNX Software Systems will showcase their technology concept car, a specially modified Mercedes-Benz CLA45, in booth 61. For more information, visit http://www.qnx.com/news/events/telematics2014.html.
