Feature: Automotive
The car’s back seat is about to take
centre stage By VNC Automotive applications engineers
R
ear-seat entertainment (RSE) technology is rising from obscurity to take centre stage in vehicles. Once only the preserve of passengers in high-end,
premium vehicles, it has undergone its own, albeit slow, journey over the last ten years, now poised to burst on the scene. Te obvious features of screen size and
resolution have gradually given way to greater functionalities, which will look completely different once autonomous vehicles arrive (and which could even make physical screens redundant). “Future adoption of Level-3, -4 and -5
autonomous vehicles could result in us spending more time in our cars, but less time physically driving them, which will completely alter the role of RSE and the vehicle in general,” says Peter Galek, VNC’s director of automotive product engineering. Even now RSE is found in medium-price-
range car models, with some buyers citing it as an influencing factor. Tis is thanks to solutions such as VNC Automotive’s Cobalt Share, which allows passengers to share their own devices’ content on in-vehicle screens. “We are living in a ‘one-click society’,
be that ordering items for next-day delivery, operating home devices or vehicle connectivity – we have been spoiled by convenience. Te advent of digital TV, streaming and gaming has already altered the way we consume media – a trend becoming more prevalent in our personal transport, too. Te pandemic has also played a part: Ofcom data shows that UK streaming services have seen 12 million new signups during Covid-19, with viewing times up by 71% over 2019’s figures. We are nearing a revolutionary age for content consumption in the vehicle,” said Galek. “It’s imperative that this is reflected in ease of use, even as technology evolves
34 September 2021
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
and functionality is added,” he continues. “Crucially, this needn’t only benefit entertainment applications. Te way we work has evolved over the past decade and technology has expanded the boundaries of the traditional office environment – emails can be checked and meetings attended via portable devices whilst on the move. Te pandemic has further accelerated this shiſt to remote working and reduced the reliance on communal, physical office space. An ability to swiſtly connect to a vehicle’s screens, as widespread travel resumes means this work doesn’t have to be completed at home or an office, but remotely from the back of a taxi or other form of travel.” In the future, these functionalities are
likely to promote collaborative working as business is less affected by travel. Connecting seamlessly from home or on the move, to check emails or join meetings, content can be streamed to
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