Samsung, Harman move in lockstep to advance in-vehicle technology

LAS VEGAS – South Korea’s tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. and its wholly owned US subsidiary Harman International Industries Inc. have unveiled their new in-vehicle technology, including a connected car system, at CES 2024.

Samsung said on Wednesday it is jointly operating its automotive product exhibition booth with Harman at this year’s international electronics show, which opened Tuesday.

Under Harman’s CES 2024 slogan “Consumer Experiences. Automotive Grade,” the two companies are showcasing their strengthened partnership, leveraging each other’s technological strengths, to meet stricter consumer requirements, Samsung said.

New additions to Harman’s in-cabin Ready product portfolio combine the power of Harman and Samsung’s technologies to enhance safety, personalization and sustainability for automakers and consumers, it said.

NEW FEATURES

Samsung said Harman’s Ready Vison QVUE, newly launched at CES 2024, adopts Samsung’s Neo QLED display, allowing the driver to view the entire lower part of the front windshield, thus providing more information to drivers and passengers.

The Ready Vision uses augmented reality technology for its heads-up display function to intuitively provide various bits of driving information on the windshield.

Harman’s Ready Upgrade Advanced is powered by Samsung’s latest Exynos processor, to enable faster software and system upgrades.

Another Harman system, Ready Care, uses deep learning neural networking techniques to monitor the driver’s movement and cognitive alertness and provide personalized reminders and alerts.

Samsung said Ready Care now can identify whether passengers are adults or children, and adjust the airbag deployment settings accordingly.

“As the industry continues to be disrupted by technologies like advanced connectivity, artificial intelligence and electrification, the winners will be those who can harness these forces into heightened in-cabin experiences,” said Christian Sobottka, president of Automotive at Harman International. “Together, Harman and Samsung will help our customers capitalize on the opportunities that come with this transformation.”

CONNECTED CAR TECHNOLOGY

Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, Harman is a global leader in connected car technology, lifestyle audio systems, cloud services and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions.

In March 2017, Harman became a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics.

Last November, Harman acquired Roon Labs, a US multi-device and multi-room audio technology firm, to accelerate its foray into the burgeoning home audio market.

Harman owns 16 audio brands, including AKG, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon, Mark Levinson and Revel, and its audio and connected car systems are fitted in more than 50 million vehicles across the world.

“Samsung’s leadership in consumer technology – together with Harman’s automotive expertise – has opened the door to game-changing experiences,” said Michelle Gattuso, vice president of Product Management at Harman. “Now, our work with Samsung is getting even more integrated.”

Write to Chae-Yeon Kim at why29@hankyung.com

In-Soo Nam edited this article.