Our team needed to adapt their approach and techniques in consequence. We simply used our past experience as a stepping-stone and, with the help of Kenwood, an amazing partner, we developed a unique and cutting-edge solution.”


Of course, there are many differences, too. For ex-


ample, the actual interfacing with the vehicle is more complex because it involves larger amounts of data and increased user interaction. Whereas we used to have to deal with immobilizer data or convenience feature commands, we are now dealing with satellite radio metadata, mobile phone call information and voice commands. Our team needed to adapt their ap- proach and techniques in consequence. We simply used our past experience as a stepping-stone and, with the help of Kenwood, an amazing partner, we de- veloped a unique and cutting-edge solution.


ME: Should we expect more audio-centric products from iDatalink, and if so, will they all be partnered solutions like this one with Kenwood?


Di Cesare: As our company’s focus has always been on software solutions as opposed to actual physical products, our immediate plans are to build up and enhance our application library for the two existing products. We have a desire to work with many other head unit manufacturers, and we also want to push the boundaries of what’s possible with aftermarket audio systems. We’d love to develop new applications that leverage the large touchscreen of today’s head units and present exciting possibilities for the overall user experience.


ME: Without giving any secrets away, what is your process for designing an interface to work with a vehicle? How has that process changed in the past 10 years?


Di Cesare: The biggest secret is no secret at all: our people. Reading data from a vehicle’s comput- ers is easy. The hard part is figuring out what it all means because there is no “handbook” for what we do. Our engineers and technicians have perfected the


development process thanks to their many years of experience. They have the unique ability to not only gather the necessary raw data efficiently, but also de- cipher it. Vehicles have become far more computerized over


the past 10 years, and while that trend has its chal- lenges, it also has its benefits. Today’s advanced vehicles give us the opportunity to offer more com- plete integration solutions to our customers. In past years, most vehicles allowed us to bypass the im- mobilizer only. These days, we also have increasing access to a variety of convenience features, such as door locks, heated seats, rear window defrost, etc. In the end, our customers benefit from a turnkey solu- tion that speeds up their installs and offers better customer experiences.


ME: Where you see the security industry going? Will there still be a need for interfaces in 2020, or will we be shut out by either very good or very proprietary security systems?


Di Cesare: There’s no doubt our industry is in con- stant flux, but this is nothing new. Once aftermarket security systems became popular, many vehicle manu- facturers offered systems as standard on their models. More recently, we’re seeing the same trend with remote starters. Typically, however, the aftermarket provides more comprehensive solutions and there’s always de- mand for a superior customer experience. We can’t predict what the industry will look like in


2020, but it’s our belief that vehicles will only become more computerized, and the need for interfaces will remain. We also expect the “connected car” to contin- ue to become more popular, so that provides a whole new realm of possibilities, too. Whatever happens, we know we’ll adapt to the needs of the aftermarket, and that’s always been a strength of our industry as a whole. n


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