HARMAN REIMAGINES THE IN-VEHICLE EXPERIENCE THROUGH EXPANDED HARMAN ExP TECHNOLOGY SUITE
>> Underscoring its commitment to consumer-centric mobility, HARMAN creates even more Experiences per Mile, transforming the car into a true “third living space”
STAMFORD, Conn – HARMAN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, today advanced its vision and industry support of Experiences per Mile by unveiling a series of new mobility experiences that have never before existed in the vehicle. Through extensive consumer insights, HARMAN uncovered unmet needs and pain points that exist for consumers today by unveiling three new HARMAN experience concepts – or ExPs – that solve for modern mobility needs. These new ExPs are on display at HARMAN’s technology showcase, ExPLORE, taking place in advance of CES 2021.
During today’s HARMAN Automotive ExPLORE 2021 Event, HARMAN unveiled and demonstrated three new immersive HARMAN ExPs that showcase how connected technologies can redefine the in-car experience for consumers and create new opportunities for automakers. As the industry leader, only HARMAN can provide the robust combination of core automotive technologies – including Digital Cockpit, Telematics, Car Audio, Cloud-based Software Services and ADAS – with a deep understanding of consumer mobility trends and extensive industry partnerships to create this level of compelling experiences for drivers and passengers.
The three new HARMAN ExP concepts – Gaming Intense Max, Creator Studio and Drive-Live Concert –demonstrate these capabilities meet in-demand consumer needs and preview the future of what’s possible in mobility. By taking a consumer-centric approach that ensures technologies work seamlessly together to create rich, relevant mobility solutions, HARMAN ExP delivers experiences that matter.
Each ExP features an expertly-curated mix of HARMAN’s leading technology solutions – including HARMAN’s Compute Platform, HARMAN Ignite Service Delivery Platform (SDP), branded in-car audio and acoustic technologies, HARMAN OTA, HARMAN Ignite Store and the latest OLED, QLED and LCD display technologies – to create meaningful experiences in the vehicle.
“At HARMAN we believe cars should be for living, not just driving. With the addition of our new HARMAN ExPs, we’re transforming the car into a ‘third space’ that delivers the experiences consumers demand, and delights with meaningful moments of magic,” said Christian Sobottka, Executive Vice President & President of HARMAN Automotive. “What differentiates Harman from others is that we leverage our deep understanding of consumer needs and in-vehicle preferences, while also doubling down on HARMAN’s experience-driven approach instead of focusing solely on individual technologies, OEMs will benefit from advanced personalization and technological synergies, while drivers will enjoy a connected experience built purposefully for their needs.”
Based on the company’s latest market insights, HARMAN has expanded its ExP portfolio with additional consumer-centric experiences to address the growing needs of today’s digital consumers, allowing drivers to maximize their Experiences per Mile. Insight studies show at least 60% of consumers expect their cars to deliver more than just transportation, and nearly half look to their cars to help safely multitask. During today’s HARMAN ExPLORE Showcase, available on-demand in the HARMAN Newsroom, the following ExP concepts were unveiled:
HARMAN ExP Gaming Intense Max
According to HARMAN consumer research, it’s clear that people often find themselves with downtime in their cars – waiting on friends, an appointment, or their kids at school. This downtime is often filled with distractions like playing games on their phone, but phone gaming can be a very limited experience. That is why HARMAN created Gaming Intense Max.
For game lovers, any space can transform into a multiplayer arena, and the car is no exception. HARMAN ExP Gaming Intense Max leverages HARMAN’s Scalable Compute, 5G TCU and HARMAN Ignite SDP to create a fast and truly immersive gaming experience. In addition, Gaming Intense Max leverages HARMAN’s audio technologies like ClearChat to reduce echo and background noise during gameplay – while HARMAN’s In Car Communication (ICC) solution ensures clear, two-way communication while in the vehicle. Lastly, high-fidelity sound, integrated headrest speakers, advanced haptics and high-resolution OLED and QLED displays create a fully immersive environment. It is not only designed to feel like a truly interactive gaming experience, but a way for gamers to feel like they are a part of the game itself.
HARMAN ExP Creator Studio
As consumers are looking for more places to create content, HARMAN has transformed the vehicle into a creative space with the all-new ExP Creator Studio. Creator Studio leverages a variety of technologies and services to make sure creativity has no boundaries. Solutions like HARMAN’s Personal Audio Headrest extends the experience for fully immersive sound, while audio levels automatically adjust to create optimal audio balance. Interior lighting is set to its most flattering mode, while multiple cameras switch to record the best angle based on head movement and activity. With content captured, the virtual assistant has all the tools to prepare for publishing and can even give the video a title and cover image.
Bringing the power of a pro-recording studio right inside the vehicle, this premium in-studio experience offers the ultimate user-friendly video setup and ability to edit content via controls on the steering wheel as well as automatic background noise reduction to ensure any audio is clear for their audience.
HARMAN ExP Drive-Live Concert
In a world where many live performances have been put on hold, the ability to provide an immersive drive-in or virtual concert experience has never been so valuable. Now, HARMAN has created an entirely new experience to bring fans together and keep them connected to their favorite artists by transporting the energy and action of a live performance to wherever they are.
With HARMAN’s premium audio, 5G capabilities and cloud services, the car can become anyone’s favorite concert venue. Drive-Live Concert delivers all the energy of a live performance right into the car. To bring the experience of a concert to life, this ExP allows remote and socially distant concertgoers the ability to directly interact with the venue, the artist and the music all from the comfort of their vehicles. What’s more, with Drive-Live, the artists can see the interactions and respond right back. Inside the vehicle, the steering wheel retracts to open up more space to enjoy the show, while the main display extends to provide amazing visuals. At the same time, the headrests automatically move forward enabling incredible, immersive audio. In-vehicle lighting also synchronizes with the music, while the integrated in-vehicle platform enables full personalization of your concert experience. Outside, the rear display and exterior speakers rise, creating a perfect environment for the music to move the audience. Fans also have the ability to direct the show and personalize what they see, according to their preferences.
Leveraging a consumer-centric approach to design and innovation to create more Experiences per Mile, HARMAN is turning the car into a true “third living space” for both passengers and drivers. OEMs, app developers, fleet companies and service providers can now partner with HARMAN to deploy and completely transform connected experiences in the car.
