An all-new infotainment system, called Pivi Pro, has made its hands-on debut at the world’s largest consumer electronics show: CES 2020, in Las Vegas.
The JLR-designed system was launched on the new Land Rover Defender, and will gradually replace the familiar InControl currently seen in all Jaguar and Land Rover models.
JLR describes it as having, “Industry- leading design,” that “shares electronic hardware with the latest smartphones.” Its ten-inch high-resolution touchscreen allows customers to control all aspects of the vehicle using the same processing hardware as the latest smartphones. In addition, customers can connect twomobile devices to the infotainment head unit at once using Bluetooth, so the driver and passenger can both enjoy hands-free functionality without the need to swap connections.
Because Pivi Pro has its own battery the system is always on and able to respond immediately on start-up. As a result, the navigation is ready to accept new destinations without delay the moment the driver sits in the vehicle. Customers can also download updates, so the system always has the latest software – including navigation mapping data – without the need to visit retailers for updates to be installed.
What makes the system special is that it has its own designated modem (Long Term Evolution – LTE) and eSIM. That means the car’s over-the-air software (SOTA) technology is able to operate in the background without affecting the day-to-day connectivity provided by the separate modem and eSIM in the infotainment module.
As Peter Virk, JLR’s director of connected car and future technology, explains, “With one LTEmodem and eSIM dedicated to SOTA technology and the same set-up looking after music streaming and apps, new Defender has the digital capacity to keep customers connected, updated and entertained at all times anywhere in the world.
“You could liken the design to a brain, with each half enjoying its own connection for unrivalled and uninterrupted service. Like the brain, one side of the system looks after logical functions, like SOTA, while the other takes care of more creative tasks.”
