Sony Ericsson in-car user experience
Sony Ericsson collaborates with many car manufacturers to optimize the in-car experience for responsibly using mobile phones to make and receive calls and play music. Visit www.sonyericsson.com/car to find out more.
Our continued partnership with General Motors – particularly Saab Automobile AB - has taken how a phone interacts with a car to a new level.
Collaboration with Saab
Several Saab car models feature either Sony Ericsson accessories or fully integrated onboard systems, providing end-users with a premium in-car user experience for Bluetooth handsfree telephony. Drivers can browse through their phonebook, answer or make calls while keeping their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.
Making the most of Bluetooth technology, Sony Ericsson and Saab also work together to advance future communications between mobile phones and cars.
As demonstrated at July's British International Motor Show in London, UK, Sony Ericsson and Saab collaborated to use a P1 smartphone to remotely control elements of Saab's 9-X BioHybrid concept car.
Xperia X1 remotely controlling Saab 9-X Air car functions
For its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show, the Saab 9-X Air concept car was showcased with highly developed connectivity. This was demonstrated at the Saab exhibition stand by a Windows Mobile application, co-developed by Saab and Sony Ericsson Developer World, enabling the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 phone to remotely control car functions.
The Windows Mobile application pairs the Xperia X1 with the car via Bluetooth and allows the end-user to remotely select exterior or interior functions using the phone's touchscreen. You can:
•Control ambient lightning
•Control front and rear seat settings
•Lock the car
•Open the rear compartment
•Switch on and off the lights (blinkers, main lights…)
Xperia X1 application with touchscreen elements to control car functions.
"Our research shows that specifically younger progressive customers are interested in seamless integration of mobile devices and services with their car.
"So for the 9-X Air we teamed up with Sony Ericsson again and built on our experience with the 9-X BioHybrid and the P1 phone. The X1, with its new Windows Mobile application, offers a more dynamic interaction. The larger touch screen and redesigned icons is more user friendly as compare to the previous phone," says Anthony Lo, Director of Advanced Design GM Europe.
The Saab 9-X Air concept car at the Paris Motorshow, with Sony Ericsson phones and accessories in the foreground. The Saab 9-X Air concept car interior with the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 inserted in the dashboard (open tray).
Application overview
The application was developed by Saab using standard development tools for C#.NET Compact framework for Windows Mobile. As a result of relying on standard development tools and communication interfaces, the application was very quickly ported to work on the Xperia X1 phone. Thanks to the compatibility over the Windows Mobile device platform, all that had to be tailored for the X1 phone were graphics due to the high resolution of the screen.
Communication with the car is set up as a COM port over Bluetooth using a proprietary communications protocol. The COM port is set up and managed using the standard System.IO.SerialPort interface.
•For more information, read the article Serial Communication with the .NET Compact Framework on MSDN>>
This application is adapted from the previous version created for the British Motorshow in July 2008 for the Sony Ericsson P1 smartphone and Saab's 9-X BioHybrid.
In-car applications category for the Sony Ericsson Content Awards 2008
Creating content, applications and services that enhance the in-car user experience is a category in this year's Sony Ericsson Content Awards. If you are inspired by our example of controlling car functions using the Xperia X1 or you have existing car-related mobile content, submit your content to the competition here>>
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