Intel's Atom chips will power the next-generation in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI) used by Nissan in a number of the car maker's 2013 production vehicles, Intel said Thursday. The two companies were on hand for this week's New York International Auto Show, where Nissan demoed its new twin-display IVI running in the zero-emissions Infiniti LE concept car.
"Technology and vehicles are integral components of everyday life and by combining the two, we can we achieve a truly connected, mobile lifestyle," Ton Steenman, vice president of Intel's Intelligent Systems Group, said in a statement. "The processing power of the Intel Atom processor enables Nissan to deliver information and entertainment to drivers and passengers simultaneously in a safe manner and opens the door to more enjoyable driving experiences."
Nissan's new IVI was designed to maintain "optimal safety" for drivers and passengers riding in its vehicles, the car maker said. The twin displays mean that drivers can see "vital traffic and navigation information" while also providing passengers with entertainment like movies, according to the company.
Intel has been working overtime in recent years to make a splash with its Atom platform in the IVI market, where the chip giant's embedded x86-based solutions compete with other processor architectures. The company recently announced a $100 million Connected Car Fund managed by its Intel Capital unit, has cut the ribbon on its Automotive Innovation and Product Development Center in Karlsruhe, Germany, and is pursuing several other initiatives designed to develop various computing technologies for the automotive space.
Intel's collaboration with Nissan has focused on such areas as "mobile device-to-vehicle fusion, cloud-based services for vehicles, and vehicle video surveillance via smartphones, as well as vehicle access and control via smartphones," the company said.
Nissan looks to be pulling out all the stops with the Infiniti LE concept car (see video below). Promising "the future of zero emissions performance luxury," Nissan's next-generation electric car uses Intelligent Park Assist technology to guide the vehicle into position over a wireless charging pad that owners keep in the garage.
Here's a first look at Nissan's Infiniti LE concept car:
