TI technology released this week will use Bluetooth® technology for cars in a way we’ve never seen before.
Typically, drivers pair smartphones with a car using a Bluetooth connection to make phone calls or listen to music. These connections use what is known as “classic” Bluetooth. But the just released SimpleLink™ CC2541-Q1 uses Bluetooth Smart also known as Bluetooth low energy technology, requiring an incredibly small amount of power from a car battery and opening up the doors for all kinds of possibilities in a vehicle.
Next generation vehicles incorporating this new TI product could be used to remotely unlock and turn on a car using an app on a smartphone. Or if a friend wants to borrow a car, the car owner can simply send a code to their friend’s smartphone without ever having to exchange car keys. Once inside a car, the seat position and climate settings can automatically adjust based off of the user’s smartphone settings. The vehicle’s inside ambient lighting can be adjusted to whatever color the driver is in the mood for, all from an app on his or her smartphone. While driving, the check engine light might illuminate on the dashboard, and the vehicle is able to instantly communicate to a driver’s smartphone the issue and actions to fix the problem.
SimpleLink CC2541-Q1 can also be used in a variety of ways for parts of the car to communicate with other parts of the car. Bluetooth Smart technology enables auto manufacturers to replace some wiring on a vehicle, reducing the cost of a car and the overall weight, which ultimately increases fuel economy. The connectivity technology can be used in any scenario where a small amount of data needs be transmitted across parts of a vehicle.
“Fuel economy is becoming more and more critical, and a big portion of what drives fuel economy is the weight of the vehicle itself,” said Joel Zolnier, TI worldwide business development manager for low-power radio frequency (RF) automotive and medical applications. “What some people may not know is that the wiring and the harnesses that keep those wires in place are some of the heaviest components overall in any vehicle on the road.”
Bluetooth Smart for cars, trucks and SUVs has a bright not-to-distant-future – a future where more control is put in the hands of drivers through their smartphone, while increasing fuel economy and lowering costs.
“We are seeing some limited use cases coming online and will likely be in place in the next one to two years, and farther out I believe we will be seeing more and more Bluetooth Smart technology in our vehicles,” said Joel.