Sciacca, Italy, May 2013 – A brand new connectivity experience is awaiting drivers of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee: The new Uconnect™ infotainment system by HARMAN will help drivers stay connected to their vehicles and the world around them, featuring increased voice recognition capabilities and more realistic navigation. They can even stream off-board entertainment and other content through the Connected Media Center (CMC).

Developed by HARMAN in cooperation with Chrysler teams, the latest Uconnect 8.4” Radio and 8.4” Radio Nav systems have been reaping industry accolades and were named “2012 Technology of the Year” by AOL Autos. “We’re excited that the collaboration is bringing such great results,” says Michael Mauser, HARMAN’s Executive Vice President and Co-President of Infotainment & Lifestyle Divisions. “Our new Uconnect system in the Jeep Grand Cherokee offers an array of easy-to-use features to help drivers stay connected, informed and focused on driving.”

With a spacious 8.4-inch touchscreen, this new system by HARMAN offers more screen real estate for drivers to access the many innovative infotainment features. The platform also delivers faster response and sharper navigation than the predecessor systems in the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and also offers drivers one-step voice command of navigation and other functions. Drivers can make phone calls, give navigation instructions and play their favorite music by voice control – all without compromising safety. Entering destinations is a “one-shot” action, with the city, street and building number all in one natural sequence. A 3D-terrain model, 3D-cities and 3D-landmarks make navigation more realistic than ever.

Key features include:

  • Hands-free text to speech listening of incoming SMS messages
  • Setting Favorite Contact Phone numbers so they are easily accessible on the Main Phone screen
  • Climate control via touch-screen
  • Pairing up to 10 phones/audio devices for easy access
  • Navigation destination by phone number

On board the Jeep Grand Cherokee, HARMAN has paired the Uconnect infotainment system with premium Harman/Kardon audio. The nineteen-speaker, 825-watt high-performance surround sound system delivers in a 7.3 speaker playback architecture clear, powerful sound to every seat in the car. This state-of-the-art system features three subwoofers driven by Jeep’s 1st eleven-channel high voltage GreenEdge™ Class-D amplifier. The system surrounds, thanks to the legendary Logic7® multichannel surround-sound technology, the occupants in high-definition sound. All components include HARMAN’s innovative GreenEdge™ technology for less power consumption while delivering an increased sound performance.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee won’t be the only Chrysler Group vehicle to feature the new Uconnect system by HARMAN. Uconnect will power the Connected Media Center in numerous 2013 Chrysler and FIAT cars, trucks and SUVs, as well as the new Viper sports car.


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.