CES Trend #7: Mobile entertainment meets auto safety

Mobile Video

Where Bill Gates served as a headline keynoter at last year's CES, General Motors (GM) CEO Rick Wagoner will fulfill a similar role at CES 2008.

In December, GM introduced new key fob devices that will replace the buttons traditionally used for locking the car and pop open the trunk with an LCD screen that also obtains information about what's under the hood and inside the dashboard. From up to 1,000 feet away, drivers will be able to use the fob to change the radio station, for instance, to check tire pressure and perform other diagnostics.

More significantly over the long term, though, General Motors is a member of the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), a group that is now promoting the use of MPH mobile-DTV to bring TV programming and data systems to cars.

MPH mobile-DTV is one of several "in-band" technologies now being looked at for augmenting the terrestial transmissions of local TV stations.

Beyond having ATSC's seal of approval, though, the MPH approach reportedly includes additional error correction and data redundancy, for smoother TV reception while either walking around with a handheld device or driving a car.

Meanwhile, at CES 2008, Kenwood -- the first radio manufacturer to announce support for MPH mobile-DTV -- intends to demo a working prototype of new in-car mobile TV receivers which are based on that technology, which was originally developed by Harris, LG Electronics, and LG's US R&D subsidiary, Zenith.

Although ATSC hasn't yet decided whether the transmission system for MPH will be subscription- or advertising-based, word on the street has it that this choice might be made during the first half of 2008.

Still, proponents of a competing mobile video system should also be out in full force at CES 2008, promoting the A-VSB technology originally demo'd at last year's show. Members of the A-VSB coalition include Samsung, Rohde & Schwartz, and now, mobile device manufacturer Nokia.

For kids and adults who might be watching either streaming video or stored content on display terminals in the back seat, CES 2008 exhibitor Unwired Technology will show wireless headsets that fold out flat, for storage in a seat compartment.

Richer Audio

Also at CES 2008, Ford will reprise the Ford Flex, a car first shown at the SEMA 07 auto show. The Flex will feature Dolby Pro Logic II, providing Dolby Surround Sound from any stereo or two-channel source -- including both TV and music systems -- along with Dolby's Advanced Sound Filter.

Moroever, Ford recently announced that the Mercury MKS 2009 will become the first vehicle to ofer a THX II 5.1-Certified surround sound audio system.

New HD audio-compatible devices and services are also anticipated for CES 2008. For instance, Ibiquity -- the owner of a large AM/FM radio network which can be used in either digital or hybrid analog/digital mode -- will demo MSN HD Direct, an informational service that uses HD Radio technology.

Safety - Plain and Straight-Forward

Some of the new car electronics technologies to be shown at CES 2008 combine entertainment value with on-the-road safety.

It might be fun -- for a while, at least, -- to "speak" your e-mails to an avatar-driven onboard message delivery system, or to command your in-vehicle storage system to replay a song with a mere wave of your hand.

At the same time, though, you'll be keeping two hands (in the case of voice recognition) or one hand (in the instance of gesture recognition) free to manipulate the steering wheel, which is something it's still advisable to be able to do when trying to drive a car.

But other technologies set for CES 2008 are more plainly geared strictly to safety. CCTraffic.Net, a traffic distribution platform from Clear Channel Radio, will be demo'd by several GPS systems makers that are using the system in their devices, including Mio, Tom Tom, Navigon, Garmin, dmedia, Harmon Kardon, and Clarion.

Also at the show, Magna Donnelly reportedly plans to introduce new cameras for the front seat of cars, so drivers can keep a watch over children in the back without needing to turn around and take their eyes entirely off the road.

Magna already makes cameras that catch blind spots when the car is in reverse. on cars such as the Honda Odyssey minivan and the Ford Super Duty pickup truck, these images are projected on to rearview mirrors.

IBM, a big name vendor that returned to CES last year after a ten year absence, will also be present at CES 2008, this year showing off its embedded technology and electronic gaming and online content, along with hardware and software in more traditional categories.

After a string of acquisitions related to telematics and various other aspects of auto electronics, IBM is also reported by some analyst firms to be eyeing deep involvement in the development of a nationwide "telematics infrastructure" which will support emergency communications among vehicles themselves -- about road conditions and other emergency issues-- regardless of car model or manufacturer.