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.
Other names for automotive head units include car stereo, car receiver, deck, in-dash stereo, and dash stereo.
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.
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]
Manufacturers offer DIN headunits and standard connectors (called universal headunits), including Pioneer, Sony, Alpine, Kenwood, Eclipse, JVC, Boyo, Dual, Visteon, Advent and Blaupunkt.
Vehicle audio is equipment installed in a car or other vehicle to provide in-car entertainment and information for the vehicle occupants. Until the 1950s it consisted of a simple AM radio. Additions since then have included FM radio (1952), 8-track tape players, cassette players, record players, CD players, DVD players, Blu-ray players, navigation systems, Bluetooth telephone integration, and smartphone controllers like CarPlay and Android Auto. Once controlled from the dashboard with a few buttons, they can now be controlled by steering wheel controls and voice commands.
A dashboard is a control panel set within the central console of a vehicle or small aircraft. Usually located directly ahead of the driver, it displays instrumentation and controls for the vehicle's operation. An electronic equivalent may be called an electronic instrument cluster, digital instrument panel, digital dash, digital speedometer or digital instrument cluster.
An automotive navigation system is part of the automobile controls or a third party add-on used to find direction in an automobile. It typically uses a satellite navigation device to get its position data which is then correlated to a position on a road. When directions are needed routing can be calculated. On the fly traffic information can be used to adjust the route.
On-board diagnostics (OBD) is a term referring to a vehicle's self-diagnostic and reporting capability. In the United States, this self diagnostic is a requirement to comply with Federal Emissions standards to detect failures that may increase the vehicle tailpipe emissions to more than 150% of the standard to which it was originally certified.
Cockpit Management and Data system – COMAND for short – acts as a combined command and control center for all audio, telematics and telecommunications functions on Mercedes-Benz vehicles and includes a dedicated flat display screen. In addition to the GPS navigation system and general processing and control logic, COMAND includes components such as an address book, telephone, radio and in many cases a CD/DVD drive. It is connected to other devices such as CD/DVD changers, sound system and surround sound amplifier, TV receiver and the optional Linguatronic voice control system via an optical fiber network. The first generations of COMAND used the D2B optical network standard whereas later models are based on MOST.
ISO 7736 is a standard size for dashboard mounted head units, for car audio. It was originally established by the German national organization for standardization, the Deutsches Institut für Normung, as DIN 75490, and is therefore commonly referred to as the DIN size. It was adopted by the International Organization for Standardization in 1984.
In-car entertainment (ICE), or in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), is a collection of hardware and software in automobiles that provides audio or video entertainment. In car entertainment originated with car audio systems that consisted of radios and cassette or CD players, and now includes automotive navigation systems, video players, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, carputers, in-car internet, and WiFi. Once controlled by simple dashboards knobs and dials, ICE systems can include steering wheel audio controls, handsfree voice control, touch-sensitive preset buttons, and even touch screens on higher-end units. Latest models of In-car entertainment systems are coming equipped with rear-view cameras along with side cameras for better safety.
Ford Sync is a factory-installed, integrated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system that allows users to make hands-free telephone calls, control music and perform other functions with the use of voice commands. The system consists of applications and user interfaces developed by Ford and other third-party developers. The first two generations run on the Windows Embedded Automotive operating system designed by Microsoft, while the third and fourth generations runs on the QNX operating system from BlackBerry Limited. Future versions will run on the Android operating system from Google.
Several types of connectors for car audio systems are used.
Remote Touch is a vehicle interface system present in some Lexus cars for use in conjunction with in-car information, configuration, and entertainment systems. The Remote Touch controller, which is similar to a computer mouse or joystick, allows the driver to operate an on-screen cursor on the vehicle's GPS navigation system screen.
The fifth-generation Subaru Legacy was originally unveiled as a concept car at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the model, and the production version was introduced at the 2009 New York International Auto Show. Production of the fifth generation started on 29 May 2009.
A carputer, or car-puter, is a computer with specializations to run in a car, such as compact size, low power requirement, and some customized components. The computing hardware is typically based on standard PCs or mobile devices. They normally have standard interfaces such as Bluetooth, USB, and WiFi. The first carputer was introduced by Clarion on December 4, 1998, although on-board diagnostics have been employed since the 1980s to precisely measure the amount of fuel entering the engine as the carburetors got too complex.
MyLink a.k.a. Intellilink is a telematics system/infotainment system offered by General Motors in their vehicles. The system was debuted in 2011 in the then-new Chevrolet Volt.
MirrorLink is a device interoperability standard that offers integration between a smartphone and a car's infotainment system.
A dashboard camera or simply dashcam, also known as car digital video recorder, driving recorder, or event data recorder (EDR), is an onboard camera that continuously records the view through a vehicle's front windscreen and sometimes rear or other windows. Some dashcams include a camera to record the interior of the car in 360 degrees inside camera, usually in a ball form, and can automatically send pictures and video using 4G.
CarPlay, or Apple CarPlay is an Apple standard that enables a car radio or head unit to be a display and controller for an iOS device. It is available on iPhone 5 and later models running iOS 7.1 or later.
Android Auto is a mobile app developed by Google to mirror features of an Android device, such as a smartphone, on a car's dashboard information and entertainment head unit.
SmartDeviceLink consists of two distinct software elements: a core automotive piece which wraps in-vehicle services and integrates to the in-vehicle HMI, and a mobile proxy, which executes APIs to access and use services on the automotive head unit.
Parrot Faurecia Automotive SAS is a French tech company that designs, develops and markets infotainment products for passenger vehicles and commercial trucks.
Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link, commonly referred to as GMSL, is a serial link technology that is used for video distribution in cars. It was developed by Maxim Integrated. Maxim Integrated was acquired by Analog Devices in 2021.
