TI to be driving force behind Audi's next-gen MIB High infotainment platform
The race to claim the "best infotainment system in a luxury ride" title is, we'd say, still pretty wide open, however that's not to say we haven't seen our fair share of neat ones in the recent past. Still, it's worth noting that Texas Instruments and Audi have announced a partnership which will see the chipset maker's new Jacinto 5 processor command the German outfit's next-generation, QNX-powered infotainment system, more formally known as MIB High. For Audi, this means taking a slightly different route, as it had previously utilized the likes of NVIDIA's Tegra 3 on its platform, but it also doesn't surprise us given TI's promise of "stunning digital audio" and "feature-rich vehicle interfaces" thanks to its "multimedia applications unit and a highly integrated radio and car control unit."
Update: NVIDIA's reached out to us to clarify that its tech will indeed still be featured inside Audi's future infotainment systems -- you'll find the company's official statement down below.
NVIDIA is and will continue to be the heart and soul of the award winning infotainment system found in the newest Audis and VWs, and soon other brands in the VW Group. For the MIB infotainment system, Audi uses a variety of technologies, the key one being the Multimedia Applications Unit (MMX), which is designed and produced by NVIDIA. The modular design enables Audi to easily migrate from Tegra 2, to Tegra 3 and beyond, bridging the gap that traditionally existed between consumer electronics and automotive systems. Another element of the Audi system is the Radio and Car Control Unit (RCC). NVIDIA's Tegra processor powers the MMX, while Texas Instrument's processors are used in the RCC.
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TI technology fuels best-in-class audio and car control in Audi's next-generation vehicles
TI's "Jacinto 5" processor brings stunning digital audio, feature-rich vehicle interfaces and more to Audi's next-generation infotainment platform
DALLAS (December 11, 2012) – Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) today confirmed that Audi's MIB High system, the next-generation infotainment platform for Audi vehicles, is the first automotive system to incorporate TI's "Jacinto 5"automotive infotainment processor. Jacinto 5 plays an important role in the new architecture of Audi's high infotainment systems, which consist of a multimedia applications unit ("MMX") and a highly integrated radio and car control unit ("RCC"). Among other features, the processor enables feature-rich vehicle interfaces, and vivid digital radio and audio within the RCC unit in Audi's MIB High system, which debuted in the 2012 Audi A3.
TI's Jacinto 5 automotive infotainment processor is an automotive-qualified, heterogeneous multicore processor providing power, flexibility and real-time signal processing. The Jacinto 5 includes an integrated ARM® Cortex™-A8 core that manages middleware, drivers and applications stacks, along with a digital signal processor (DSP) that powers audio, radio and automotive low-level tasks. The processor also integrates a rich collection of automotive peripherals and connectivity options. This highly integrated system-on-chip enables a cost-effective design for mid- to high-level infotainment systems and can scale to add the functionality of an external applications processor.
TI collaborated with Audi and other industry leaders to support Audi's goal of providing best-in-class infotainment features to customers, while ensuring a long lifecycle for the vehicle interfaces. This long span, made possible by the MIB High system's unique modular approach, allows developers to retain the stable vehicle processor within the RCC unit, and provides the flexibility to incorporate future consumer-demanded features to the MMX unit.
"TI and Audi's collaboration has produced a truly paramount automotive infotainment system," said Matthew Watson, product line manager, audio and infotainment, TI. "Our scalable Jacinto 5 processing architecture enables Audi to equip consumers with leading-edge capabilities, without an on-going R&D investment for stable automotive features. The rich multimedia, high integration and extended lifecycle of the MIB High System will keep drivers and passengers entertained, informed and connected for the long run."
"When designing the MIB High system, it was clear that we would need a highly integrated, robust and adaptable processor for the RCC unit," said Dr. Peter Steiner, head of infotainment development AUDI AG. "TI's Jacinto 5 processor surpasses those needs, and ensures that drivers and passengers receive the best of automotive infotainment in our latest vehicles."
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TI offers a full suite of reliable, state-of-the-art semiconductor products that allow manufacturers and system suppliers to deliver world-class features to the automotive market. In addition to our extensive catalog of analog power management, interface and signal chain solutions, TI offers Hercules™ TMS570 safety microcontrollers, automotive-grade processors and wireless connectivity solutions, all with product documentation and qualification to strict AEC-Q100 and ISO/TS 16949 standards. Whether improving system efficiency and safety or designing a vehicle that is more informative or fun, TI helps customers achieve their quality, reliability and cost goals and succeed in today's competitive automotive marketplace. Find out more today.
