Automotive Mobile Audio Video

Two cars shriek to a stop at a red light: a luxury Mercedes-Benz S600 and a Ford Taurus. As an onlooker, can you guess which car will boast a better sound and navigation system in the near future? You might be surprised at the answer, because luxury car technology will soon be available to more frugal consumers.

D2B SmartWire, developed and introduced in 2000 by Communication and Control Electronics Ltd. (C&CE) in Guildford, U.K., uses an unshielded twisted pair of copper wires to carry audio, video, navigation and communication data throughout the vehicle. The wire, which is similar to the Ethernet cable that connects a computer to a network, replaces more expensive fiber optic cables in upscale car audio systems.

The wire, which is both less expensive and easier to repair, was designed to offer the same functionality and quality found in the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class to midrange priced vehicles. Now a luxury audio and video system does not have to come at a luxury price, says C&CE.

SmartWire was developed as part of the Digital Data Bus (D2B), the networking protocol for automotive multimedia communication systems. C&CE worked with Philips Electronics NV, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and Becker GmbH in designing the protocol. The SmartWire chip, manufactured by C&CE, is what allows automakers and suppliers to design D2B systems that use copper wire rather than fiber optics. To date, all D2B systems are optical but by 2003-'04, SmartWire is expected to be standard equipment in some midrange vehicles, says Paul Nickson, chief technology officer for C&CE.

There are drawbacks to using fiber optic cable: It is difficult to package, requires specialized installers, is too expensive for high-volume cars and, significantly, has "minimum bending requirements," meaning the transmitting capabilities can be ruined if bent too much. This is especially where D2B SmartWire becomes a more practical choice. In the crowded vehicle interior it can be bent over, under and around other components that would be obstacles to fiber optics.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:17 AM