Fiat Group has selected the German automotive supplier Continental to develop a new infotainment system for use in its vehicles.
Series production of the new infotainment system will start in July 2012 and later will be launched as a radio in its basic form but also as an advanced multimedia system (head unit).
The first Fiat model equipped with the new system will be the new Fiat 500 L, being built in Serbia, followed by further models from Fiat/Chrysler.
Continental head of infotainment & connectivity Kieran O'Sullivan said that millions of vehicles are already connected with the outside world on the basis of the company's systems.
For Fiat Group Automobiles, we are once again implementing the current market requirements in a highly competitive way on a standardized platform, with a focus on an ergonomic user interface for the latest functions in infotainment technology," O'Sullivan said.
The new system will provide analogue and digital radio or navigation functions on a 5 inch touch screen.
In addition an option to connect digital music sources via USB and to use the hands-free function for smartphones through a bluetooth-interface will be available.
The company will use the Microsoft operating system Windows Embedded Automotive and features text-to-speech as well as voice recognition that enables drivers to use functions of the infotainment-system without taking their hands off the steering wheel.
