Automotive head unit

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A 90s Volvo double DIN head unit with CD and Compact Cassette Volvo 850 stereo.jpg
A 90s Volvo double DIN head unit with CD and Compact Cassette
A Renault single DIN head unit which pairs with a separate screen Wakiwe Renault Carminat 2 Bluetooth-frontview IMG 2152.JPG
A Renault single DIN head unit which pairs with a separate screen
A double DIN head unit with a large touchscreen, DVD, 1seg and GPS Pioneer AVIC-BZ500.jpg
A double DIN head unit with a large touchscreen, DVD, 1seg and GPS

An automotive head unit, sometimes called the infotainment system , [1] is a vehicle audio component providing a unified hardware interface for the system, including screens, buttons and system controls for numerous integrated information and entertainment functions.

Contents

Other names for automotive head units include car stereo, car receiver, deck, in-dash stereo, and dash stereo.

Function

A single DIN head unit with a large retractable touchscreen, DVD and GPS Pioneer AVIC-X1 DSC 3606WP.jpg
A single DIN head unit with a large retractable touchscreen, DVD and GPS

Central to a vehicle's sound and information systems, head units are located prominently in the center of the dashboard or console, and provide an integrated electronic package.

The head unit provides a user interface for the vehicle's information and entertainment media components: AM/FM radio, satellite radio, DVDs/CDs, cassette tapes (although these are now uncommon), USB MP3, dashcams, GPS navigation, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and sometimes vehicle systems status. Moreover, it may provide control of audio functions including volume, band, frequency, speaker balance, speaker fade, bass, treble, equalization, and so on. [2] With the advent of dashcams, GPS navigation, and DVDs, head units with video screens are widely available, integrating voice control and gesture recognition.

Size standards

An original standard head unit size is ISO 7736, developed by the Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN):

Single DIN (180 mm × 50 mm or 7.09 in × 1.97 in) in Europe, South America, and Australasia

Double DIN (180 mm × 100 mm or 7.09 in × 3.94 in) in Japan, the UK, and North America.

For both single and double DIN units, ISO 10487 is the connectors standard for connecting the head unit to the car's electrical system. [4]

Steering and aftermarket brands

Manufacturers offer DIN headunits and standard connectors (called universal headunits), including Pioneer, Sony, Alpine, Kenwood, Eclipse, JVC, Peach Auto (Hong Kong), Boyo, Dual, Visteon, Advent and Blaupunkt.

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ "7 Ways Your Car is Turning Into a Mobile Device". Motor Trend. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
  2. ↑ "How important is your car stereo to you". Head unit. dbm automotive. Aug 2019. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
  3. ↑ "Single Din vs Double Din- Din Size Chart 2019 by Stereo Authority". Stereo Authority. 2018-11-02. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  4. ↑ "Latest Automotive head unit". CarAudioWise. 2022-11-02. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
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