Cockpit Domain Controller for a personalized experience

The onboard journey will become an extension of today’s connected lifestyles as people shift seamlessly between driving, working, relaxing, and socializing. Today’s vehicles have multiple electronic control units for different in-car displays and functions. The challenge for automakers is consolidating these in a way that is easy for people to use and cost-effective for them to implement. The Faurecia Clarion Electronics cockpit domain controller reduces this complexity by providing a single system for multi-display management – from infotainment, cluster and heads-up to passenger and proximity displays.
 

FCE's scalable and upgradable Cockpit Domain Controller (CDC) enable automakers and mobility providers to customize individual comfort, enrich onboard experiences and improve safety. Through one Electronic Control Unit and intuitive HMI-activated surfaces, vehicle occupants can control all adjustable cockpit technologies. Developed through extensive UX research and testing, FCE's multi-view graphical interface, Quadview, eliminates confusing menu structures, making it simpler to switch between options and manage onboard services. To reduce driver distraction, this technology uses priority management when resizing windows and preserves key control icons such as temperature and volume controls.

The single system-on-a-chip architecture of the CDC makes it easy to harmonize displays as well as upgrade software and firmware over the air. Its dedicated hypervisor manages multiple operating systems and maintains a reliable separation of safety and infotainment domains. FCE's CDC is designed with multiple hardware and software security protections compliant with the relevant Automotive Safety Integrity Levels. As part of the security-by-design approach, FCE applies state-of-the-art cybersecurity measures to ensure passenger safety, data security and the integrity of the vehicle and its operations, across all internal and external network connections.

FCE offers a scalable infotainment system with a range of features and functionalities for every vehicle category - from basic smartphone mirroring and vehicle networking to the ability to customize services and apps across multiple high-resolution displays in the front and the rear of the cabin. These future-proof technologies are based on multiple operating systems (Android and Linux) and offer all features to both front and rear occupants. Integrating all the technologies for a fully connected onboard experience with secure internet access and a variety of embedded or cloud-based media and gaming content, FCE’s infotainment systems offer each vehicle occupant a personalized journey.

FCE’s infotainment solutions are designed with user-friendliness in mind, with intuitive HMI technologies allowing occupants to interact by touch, gesture or voice to manage entertainment, seating or thermal comfort options. For a seamless home to car experience, these systems can also integrate virtual personal assistants such as Alexa, Xiaodu, Alice and Google on board.

The rise of shared mobility is driving new design approaches to improve entertainment throughout the cabin. What’s important is making it simple for users to connect and interact, while continuing their viewing or gaming activities from home to car. Managed through the central CDC, Faurecia Clarion Electronics’ rear-seat entertainment system gives back seat passengers control over their onboard multimedia activities, with the possibility of maintaining separate experiences or sharing with other vehicle occupants.
 

Rear-seat passengers can choose from a range of preloaded entertainment options, plug-and-play personal content from handheld devices or securely download popular video on demand, music, productivity and gaming apps, all with full digital rights management. Integrated cameras support videocalling, road view visualization and videocam monitoring of children in the back, connected to the head unit or smartphone for full parental control.

Powered by a dedicated automotive set-top box with dual Android capability, FCE’s solution allows automakers to deliver a premium entertainment experience, drawing on Faurecia’s integration expertise – embedding high definition displays in seating, providing private sound zones for each occupant and creating an intuitive HMI.

As cars become an extension of people’s digital lifestyles, automakers need a cost-effective and secure way to provide a range of in-vehicle services and apps.

Faurecia and Aptoide, one of the largest independent Android app stores, have created a joint venture to develop and operate Android app store solutions for the global automotive market. The app store offers OEMs an affordable and secure automotive apps market, available worldwide with adaptable content per region, all with standard license agreements and full over-the-air lifecycle management. The Aptoide app store offers one million Android apps covering a variety of use cases such as gaming, navigation, content streaming services, point of interest recommendations or parking. Aptoide also offers an integrated secure payment mechanism supporting OEM strategies for service monetization, whilst securing the vehicle and occupants’ data privacy.

Faurecia Clarion Electronics’ cockpit systems integrate with the Group’s Seating and Interiors technologies to offer industry-leading safety solutions.

FCE’s occupant monitoring systems address a range of important safety concerns, including driver fatigue, distraction, and ensuring children aren’t left locked in a vehicle. FCE’s end-to-end hardware and software solutions capture and analyze data on driver context and car environment using multiple cameras, sensors and radars, and act to improve safety and driving experience. This allows automakers to maximize their technology investment through solutions that meet evolving safety requirements as well as providing data to enhance users’ onboard comfort.

FCE’s technology bricks support the integration of full camera and sensor systems as well as standalone software managing multiple situations: multi-person detection, driver identification, distraction and drowsiness monitoring, gesture analysis, emotional assessment and health monitoring.

Developing vehicles on global platforms for multiple markets requires three different hardware designs to cover worldwide radio standards. FCE's universal remote tuner is an all-in-one software-based solution that brings best-in-class radio reception in addition to an outstanding audio experience.

Combining radio software tuning in a compact design with lightweight cabling, FCE's technologies provide simple and cost-effective solutions for automakers to integrate and upgrade their worldwide radio coverage.  With high quality AM/FM, DAB, DAB+, DRM, DRM+, CDR, web radio, HD Radio and state-of-the-art processing algorithms, FCE's universal systems offer fast and accurate channel scanning and seamless switching.