(iTers News) - CSR plc today announces a partnership with Mentor Graphics to deliver an ‘out of the box’ solution for OEMs looking to deliver in-car wireless connectivity. CSR Synergy software will come pre-integrated in upcoming releases of Mentor Graphics’ GENIVI Linux compliant Automotive Technology Platform (ATP) to provide a complete software solution for a range wireless connectivity technologies. These include Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart and Wi-Fi. Prototype demonstrations are available to view at the Telematics Update event in Munich, 11-12 November 2013.

The partnership will deliver a robust, automotive grade connected platform for developing in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) solutions. It enables systems with features such as in-car internet, smartphone tethering via Mirrorlink, hot-spot support via Wi-Fi, wideband hands-free calling and CD-like audio streaming via aptX over Bluetooth in addition to Bluetooth Smart support for emerging use cases such as keyless entry and temperature and pressure sensors. By collaborating, CSR and Mentor Graphics hope to significantly reduce OEM engineering efforts, allowing them more time to focus on differentiating their designs.

Introduced to the sector nine years ago, CSR Synergy is one of the most widely used connectivity solutions on the market, having been integrated into many infotainment and telematics platforms by Tier One suppliers. The solution is continually updated to add the latest Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart and Wi-Fi use cases. It is also regularly tested to ensure the highest levels of device compatibility with the latest smartphones.

“Consumers expect in-vehicle wireless connectivity from whatever segment of the market they’re buying from,” says Thomas Carmody, Head of Connectivity Marketing at CSR. “In addition, new wireless connectivity use cases continue to emerge, putting extra pressure on OEMs to deliver these features in an ever reducing market window. CSR recognises the need to collaborate where possible with other leading companies in the automotive infotainment market to reduce the engineering burden required to support wireless connectivity.  With IVI designers moving to standard open source platforms such as GENIVI Linux, we believe the combination of our high performance Bluetooth and Wi-Fi solutions with Mentor Graphics’ ATP will ensure our customers in the automotive market meet and exceed consumer demand.”

Delivering wireless connectivity has become a key standard for car makers looking for market-differentiating innovation in IVI systems. The global Bluetooth attach rate is expected to be 65% in 2014 while the Wi-Fi attach rate is expected to be 17% in the same timeframe, with the take-up for both technologies expected to grow even further. With such a difference in the connectivity attach rates, IVI designers need to have a connectivity solution that is capable of covering the wireless connectivity requirements for a number of automotive segments. CSR connectivity devices and supporting CSR Synergy software are designed with this requirement in mind. Connectivity technologies, Bluetooth profiles and use cases can be added and removed easily without the customer investing significant engineering efforts after the initial deployment of the solution.

Scot Morrison, General Manager of Run-Time Solutions for Mentor Graphics Embedded Division, comments: “Given the accelerated pace and complexity of automotive infotainment system development, both CSR and Mentor Graphics have recognised the need to minimise the effort for OEMs in this area. We believe this collaboration will lay the foundations for a solid infotainment proposition. CSR has an exciting roadmap of high performance hardware and software solutions that will extend the features of current-generation IVI into Telematics, vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure connectivity.”