Drivers of Fiat's 500L enjoy an awesome infotainment solution. Powered by Windows Embedded Automotive, Uconnect 5.0 features a 5-inch touchscreen and enables hands-free calling through Bluetooth-equipped smartphones. Plus, the system can “read” texts received on paired phones, and in response, drivers can reply to text messages by selecting from a list of 18 predefined responses — all by using voice recognition.
A new feature article and blog post describe how Fiat rolled out the new system in just 18 months, and kept it affordable through Windows Embedded Automotive, in large part by requiring a smaller processor size and reduced storage space compared with alternatives.
Fiat has made Uconnect 5.0 part of the standard equipment package on the 500L, and the company’s research suggests it could see as much as a 40 percent increase in market penetration by making the system standard across the entire model line.
Candido Peterlini, director of Product Planning Infotainment for Fiat, calls Uconnect a good balance between technology and implementation: “We needed a high-quality, upgradable solution, but didn’t want a huge processor that would drive up costs. With Windows Embedded, we found the sweet spot.”
Steve Clarke
Microsoft News Center Staff