Johnson Controls Presents Connected Center Stack

With the huge offering of infotainment solutions currently at the consumer's disposal, it is at times hard to keep track, let alone take full advantage of the entire features the car and its systems have to offer. This is why a solution which will bring if not all, then most of these features into one device seems like a great idea.

During the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), American automotive supplier Johnson Controls (JC) announced the introduction of the so-called Connected Center Stack, a Human Machine Interaction (HMI) device created to allow the connection of consumer electronics products and off-board applications.

The main abilities of the solution proposed by JC during NAIAS are the following:

• natural language speech recognition;
• hands-free phone usage, including voice dialing, phone book downloads, phone book image transfer and text/e-mail messaging using text to speech
• music playback using USB connectivity or Bluetooth streaming audio for MP3 players, flash devices or mobile phones
• ability to access phone applications such as Pandora Internet Music
• phone HMI replication using Nokia Terminal Mode
• connectivity to Johnson Controls-developed phone applications
• upgradable architecture for software updates and new software applications
• GPS and location-based services.

"The Connected Center Stack exemplifies our capabilities in speech recognition, Human Machine Interaction, and vehicle-interior integration," said Jeff DeBest, global vice president and general manager for Johnson Controls Automotive Experience. "Our goal is to create connectivity solutions for matching the vehicle's lifecycle to the fast-changing consumer electronics industry."

Unfortunately, despite the great advancements made in this field in recent years, the integration of the solution created by JC will not be possible until 2014. For the time being, consumers will have to make ends meet in the same chaotic manner they've done until now.