Harman’s Software Steps Up to Conduct the Cabin Experience
Harman, a subsidiary of the Samsung Group, announced updates to its "Ready" product portfolio in the wake of the CES tech show in Las Vegas, signaling that artificial intelligence is no longer a special achievement in the automotive industry but a basic prerequisite. The company’s message to automakers is pragmatic and slightly superior: leaders are no longer distinguished by whether they have AI in the cabin, but by how seamlessly they can weave software and hardware into a unified whole. Harman is now offering solutions that are immediately production-ready, promising to reduce system complexity and accelerate the time-to-market for new features.
One of the most notable innovations is the Ready StreamShare system, which allows for the creation of up to four personal media zones within the cabin. Using a Bluetooth hub and specialized low-latency headphones, passengers can listen to different music or watch movies without distracting the driver or interfering with each other's conversations. Additionally, the HALOsonic system has been enhanced, allowing automakers to create unique vehicle sounds and noise cancellation using intuitive software that feels more like a music studio than traditional engineering work.
In the realm of safety, the focus is shifting from mere warnings to contextual awareness. The updated Ready Care can now detect the posture and even the heart rate of occupants, intervening only when the system perceives a genuine threat. Simultaneously, Ready Aware utilizes existing data connectivity to warn the driver of cross-traffic hazards or approaching emergency vehicles, reducing the number of false alarms through machine learning. This is software attempting to be smarter than the human, providing support without becoming an annoying distraction.
On the visual front, the partnership with Samsung brings the first HDR10+ certified Neo QLED screens to vehicles, optimized specifically for legibility even under direct sunlight. Even more futuristic is the Ready Vision QVUE solution, which projects essential information directly onto the windshield while monitoring the driver's gaze and adjusting brightness as needed. Harman’s message is clear: they are no longer just selling speakers or screens, but a comprehensive digital living environment that remains fresh throughout the car's entire life cycle thanks to cloud-based updates.
