Press Release
STAMFORD, CT – Harman International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE: HAR) today
announced its plan to establish a software engineering center in the northern
Chicago suburbs to further expand on its global network of Infotainment
engineering and development centers.
HARMAN is the global leader in providing the world’s automakers with
infotainment systems that integrate navigation, multimedia and connectivity
solutions to address the growing demand for in-vehicle information and
entertainment. As the technology leader in the industry, HARMAN’s systems offer
the latest innovations in infotainment including 3D city models, augmented
navigation, online services and advanced driver assist (ADAS) technologies. The
Company’s newest engineering center will lead the development of
next-generation, connected car infotainment systems and automotive-grade cloud
platforms. The infotainment systems will be based on open standards such as
Linux and Android, and will offer increased customization through advanced
integration both with personal smart devices such as smartphones and tablets,
and with the cloud.
Dinesh C. Paliwal, Chairman, President and CEO of HARMAN commented, “We are committed to open standards and we believe the time is right to establish this new innovation hub for the development of new infotainment technologies & systems strengthening our position in the connected car space. This new development center will allow us to attract the talent necessary to develop these advanced solutions and facilitate collaboration with innovative middleware and applications companies for robust, end-to-end solutions. The connected car is becoming a priority for all automakers and they are looking to us to offer this solution.”
Chicago and its environs are the home to a number of advanced technology companies, including innovators in the navigation and telecommunications areas, as well universities such as Northwestern, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
In 2011, HARMAN was the first technology partner to the automotive industry to adopt the Android Open Accessory Protocol into its infotainment systems designs, allowing users to connect their Google-powered smartphone or tablet and control their devices through the head unit, steering wheel buttons or voice commands. By adopting and implementing the Android protocol, HARMAN’s systems have access to a user’s music, movie, and navigation apps, along with SMS and email functionality. Beyond Android support, HARMAN infotainment systems supports all major mobile operating systems for full functionality integration, including Apple’s iOS, Research in Motion’s BlackBerry platform and Nokia’s existing mobile systems.
HARMAN is also a member of the recently-formed Automotive Grade Linux Workgroup as part of the Linux Foundation, with a goal to foster widespread industry collaboration and reference distributions that advance Linux-based automotive device development. HARMAN is also a member of GENIVI, the industry alliance committed to driving the broad adoption of an in-vehicle Infotainment (IVI) open-source development platform.
Dinesh C. Paliwal, Chairman, President and CEO of HARMAN commented, “We are committed to open standards and we believe the time is right to establish this new innovation hub for the development of new infotainment technologies & systems strengthening our position in the connected car space. This new development center will allow us to attract the talent necessary to develop these advanced solutions and facilitate collaboration with innovative middleware and applications companies for robust, end-to-end solutions. The connected car is becoming a priority for all automakers and they are looking to us to offer this solution.”
Chicago and its environs are the home to a number of advanced technology companies, including innovators in the navigation and telecommunications areas, as well universities such as Northwestern, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
In 2011, HARMAN was the first technology partner to the automotive industry to adopt the Android Open Accessory Protocol into its infotainment systems designs, allowing users to connect their Google-powered smartphone or tablet and control their devices through the head unit, steering wheel buttons or voice commands. By adopting and implementing the Android protocol, HARMAN’s systems have access to a user’s music, movie, and navigation apps, along with SMS and email functionality. Beyond Android support, HARMAN infotainment systems supports all major mobile operating systems for full functionality integration, including Apple’s iOS, Research in Motion’s BlackBerry platform and Nokia’s existing mobile systems.
HARMAN is also a member of the recently-formed Automotive Grade Linux Workgroup as part of the Linux Foundation, with a goal to foster widespread industry collaboration and reference distributions that advance Linux-based automotive device development. HARMAN is also a member of GENIVI, the industry alliance committed to driving the broad adoption of an in-vehicle Infotainment (IVI) open-source development platform.
About HARMAN
HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,400 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.4 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2012. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.
