CBR -- The race is on for car manufacturers and software companies to design the ultimate smart car, with a surprise visit by Apple to BMW indicating a possible partnership between the two firms.
An Apple delegation, including Cupertino's CEO Tim Cook, visited the German carmaker's headquarters last year to learn how BMW builds its i3 electric car, according to sources.
One of the sources told Reuters that the visit to the Leipzig factory did not result in a collaboration between Apple and BMW, as the iWatch maker is reportedly looking at creating a connected vehicle by itself.
The source added that BMW is also reluctant about sharing knowledge on how to develop the technology, as it does not want to become a supplier to a software or internet company like Apple. BMW executives have, however, shown to be open to license parts, according to the same sources.
The lack of trust in the industry is seen as an obstacle to the successful development of a connected car. Dr. Kevin Curran, senior member of the IEEE, told CBR: "A crucial barrier to smart car success is the lack of trust and collaboration between the major auto manufacturers.
Curran added that, for example companies like Ford, General Motors, Toyota, BMW and "all the other leaders" are all part of the Vehicle Infrastructure Integration Consortium, which is striving to deploy the infrastructure of tomorrow.
He said that "however, in reality they all go back to their workshops and continue to promote their own proprietary products".
Read the rest of the story here: http://www.cbronline.com/news/internet-of-things/m2m/could-apple-bmw-soon-be-driving-the-same-smart-car-4637155
Holly Hill, Fla. – October 30, 2024 – Metra Electronics® is introducing under-seat replacement subwoofers and speakers designed to fit select BMW* at this year's SEMA Show. These new products were developed in collaboration with VIBE Audio, will be sold in pairs, and will be in stock soon. They will be showcased from November 5th to 8th in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center at Metra's main SEMA Show booth, #10439.
8" Under-Seat Replacement Subwoofers
Metra's SEMA booth will display 8-inch under-seat replacement VIBE subwoofers, available in 2 Ohm (OS-BMW82V3) or 4 Ohm (OS-BMW84V3) options. These direct-replacement under-seat subwoofers are engineered to fit perfectly into the vehicle with no modifications required. They offer a premium lightweight design and provide an enhanced bass response over factory speakers. All brackets and wiring connectors are included for easy plug-n-play installation.
4" Plug-N-Play Front Door and Coaxial Speakers
Also available from Metra is a 4-inch plug-n-play front door speaker set (OS-BMW4V4) and 4-inch coaxial upgrade speakers (OS-BMW4RV2). Both feature direct-replacement VIBE speakers. They offer easy plug-n-play installation with vehicle-specific baskets and harnesses and include all required adapters and cables. Each speaker is designed to fit exactly in place of factory speakers to upgrade the audio system for enhanced sound quality.
Contact your Metra Electronics sales representative or visit MetraOnline.com for more information. *Visit the Vehicle Fit Guide at MetraOnline.com for up-to-date vehicle-specific information.
About Metra Electronics®
At Metra, 12volt installation and integration is our passion. We strive to continuously offer the highest quality products to meet the fluctuating technological challenges of the automotive world. We actively listen to our customers’ requests and invest resources in developing the highest quality dash kit and harness solutions. We make dash kits for more vehicle applications than anyone else in the world. That’s why we’ve been known as “The Installer’s Choice” ® for 75+ years. Our other brands include: Axxess®, T-SPEC®, The Install Bay®, Heise LED Lighting Systems®, iBEAM Vehicle Safety Systems®, Shuriken High Performance Batteries®, Raptor®, Ballistic®, AmmoTenna®, Metra PowerSports®, Saddle Tramp®, Metra Marine®, Daytona Lights®, and Tsunami®. For ordering information and pricing, visit Metra Electronics online at MetraOnline.com or call 386-257-2956.
CNET -- Nokia has finally unloaded its mapping service.
The Finnish telecommunications giant said on Monday that it had agreed to sell its Here maps business to European automakers Audi, BMW and Daimler, who have agreed to pay a total of 2.8 billion euros ($3.1 billion, £2 billion, AU$4.2 billion).
The fact that the three major manufacturers have teamed up to buy Here shows how important mapping data is to the future of the car industry as new vehicles become more connected. The technology gives them a viable alternative to mapping services offered by Google and Apple. The deal also allows them to move past simple satellite-navigation-style directions and toward the next generation of navigation: cars that can collect data to share real-time updates on traffic, parking and other variables with other vehicles. Down the line, those highly accurate, up-to-date maps will be crucial for self-driving cars to know where they're going.
The 150-year-old Finnish company Nokia is best-known for making phones, especially in Europe. But since selling off its phone business to Microsoft last year, it has been reduced to its three less well-known divisions: Nokia Networks, making networking equipment; Nokia Technologies, researching and developing new technology; and Here. Nokia recently bulked up its telecom equipment business with the acquisition of rival Alcatel-Lucent.
Here is available to the public in the form of maps apps on Android, iOS and Windows Phone, but the majority of its business comes from licensing mapping data to other companies, particularly in the automotive industry. There were 17 million vehicles produced with navigation systems in 2014, according to research firm IHS. Those cars will all need a steady flow of map data.
Here is developing technology that will pull data from cars, phones and the furniture of the road to the cloud and deliver real-time and predictive mapping services. The business is also expected to play an important role in the development of self-driving cars.
Read the rest of the story here:
http://www.cnet.com/news/nokia-sells-here-maps-business-to-carmaker-consortium-of-audi-bmw-and-daimler/
Pompano Beach, FL 12-15-25 – RDVFL, a leader in innovative car-infotainment solutions, today announces the release of over 100 screen upgrade models for AUDI, BMW and MERCEDES BENZ vehicles from 2007-2019
Rich De Sclafani, the CEO of RDVFL stated - We are thrilled to announce the release of these new products. We have 4 different model screens for 3 different brands of vehicles to accommodate everyone needs from a LINUX OS based 8.8” OEM fit touchscreen and Wireless CarPlay upgrade to a huge ANDROID OS based 12.3” fully loaded screen running everything from Wireless CarPlay to YouTube, Netflix and more! We have a beautiful OEM fit solution for AUDI vehicles to keep that clean OEM look, fit and finish while getting the touchscreen upgrade with the features you want. All the screens are in stock and shipping and have our industry leading 3 year warranty. The best and easiest way to find out if we have a screen to fit your vehicle is to use the vehicle selector on the website, just put in the year, make and model of the vehicle and the upgrades available will be there to click on.
WATCH SCREEN UPGRADE VIDEOS HERE à RDVFL YOUTUBE CHANNEL CLICK HERE
Key features of Android Screens:
• Android 14 OS
• Qualcomm Snapdragon - 8 CORE / 8GB RAM / 128G ROM
• 10.25” (AUDI) or 12.3” (BMW & MB) HD Display
• Touchscreen and OEM Controls
• Wireless Apple CarPlay
• Wireless Android Auto
• Retains ALL OEM Features
• Front Camera Input (FORCED ONLY)
• Rear Camera Input
• Plug n’ Play
• Factory Bluetooth for all audio*
• Factory MIC*
• SIM card slot (GSM NETWORK ONLY/T-MOBILE)
• Built-in WiFi
• Built-in Google Play Store
• YouTube / Netflix / Sling / Disney / Amazon Prime Video + MORE
• Built-in GPS: Online and Off-line Maps Supported
• 3 Year Warranty
Key features of Linux Screens:
• Linux OS
• Wireless CarPlay
• Wireless Android Auto
• Backup Camera Input
• Front Camera Input (FORCED ONLY)
• Factory Controls and Touchscreen controls
• Factory Bluetooth for all audio*
• Factory MIC*
• Plug N’ Play
• 3 Year Warranty
About RDVFL
RDVFL is a pioneering 12VOLT company dedicated to enhancing automotive experiences through innovative technology solutions. With a commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, RDVFL continues to set the standard in the automotive aftermarket industry