Why car manufacturers need to pay attention to HTML5

Not just in the automotive industry, on other devices such as tablets, especially smartphones, manufacturers are deploying dazzling technologies to meet consumer demand for content and services. HTML5 is a non-proprietary and widely adopted standard and has proven its value in a wide range of deployments. If there is anything that can help automakers meet the needs of users in in-vehicle infotainment systems at a reasonable cost now and in the future, then it's not HTML5.

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Great prospects

Since the Calvin Brothers and the German Sapphire Company first introduced mass-produced car radios, in the next seven decades, car manufacturers and electronics suppliers can manage the demand for in-vehicle infotainment systems. When they introduce a new technology, such as an FM radio and tape player, or discard an old technology, such as a tape player, users will follow their pace. Users have only one or two choices (for example, tape or eight-track tape).
Nowadays, all of this has changed, thanks in large part to the advent of smartphones. Today's car buyers hope that automakers can keep up with the pace of consumer electronics, especially the application and service libraries on smartphones. Consumers also hope that their in-vehicle infotainment system can be fully integrated with smartphones and gradually implement cloud services.

Opportunity and cost

The shift in consumer demand for in-vehicle infotainment systems over the past decade has provided automakers with the opportunity to maximize sales through value-added services in these systems. As early as 2006, Oliver Wyman Management Consulting predicted that the global automotive power system and electronics market will grow at an average annual rate of 5.9%, and is expected to reach 230 billion euros by 2015, eventually accounting for more than 30% of vehicle value. %.

However, the cost of these opportunities is also high. Today, automakers spend between $50 million and $100 million on a new infotainment system in a car for three years, and these costs are rising as consumer demand continues to increase. In an interview in early 2009, Paul Hansen said: “In an average of every non-hybrid vehicle, the share of power and electronic components and software costs is likely to remain at 20%-25%.”

Car manufacturers can change this competition

The success of GM's OnStar service shows that the development of smartphones has not caused automakers to fall into a futile game that is catching up with consumer electronics. GM designed the service and proved its popularity far beyond imagination, which prompted the company to offer OnStar panoramic video, retail and aftermarket equipment to enable OnStar service on a variety of models.

At the end of 2009, Hansen's report quoted Ricky Hudi, chief executive power engineer at Audi's Power/Electronics Division, and his summary still applies: “The first-tier suppliers of infotainment systems are subject to the high demands of developing these complex systems. Cost. The main difficulty facing automakers comes from the consumer electronics development cycle. The automotive industry is looking for ways to grow rapidly and shorten product cycles to keep pace with consumer electronics innovation. Figure 1 compares the development time and life expectancy of cars, smartphones, and software applications.

Figure 1 Automotive power system and electronics market

In summary, in car infotainment systems, car manufacturers face the following challenges:

Consumers need more infotainment system features and services, and this demand is growing.

The time required for the development of in-vehicle systems is far from the speed at which smartphones and their applications are growing.

In order to meet the needs of consumers, the system is becoming more and more complex, and the development cost is high and continues to increase.

Can be and cannot be

Automakers’ expectations of consumers are almost powerless. Just as the elves that come out of the bottle don't return, consumers don't want to endure high-cost pressures because automakers provide more advanced systems, and they are willing to stop on radio and tape platforms.

In addition, car manufacturers have no reason to curb consumer demand. On-board systems are becoming a key differentiating factor influencing consumer purchasing decisions. For example, in a recent study on the market forecast for in-vehicle infotainment and telematics services released in 2011, Accenture pointed out that consumers are in need of relatively low-cost in-car entertainment services, including mobile broadband connections. Similarly, in a study on factors affecting consumer purchasing propensity, Zhang Zongsheng and Xiao Weihong from National Chung Cheng University in Taiwan also concluded that consumers may be more willing to buy a car that contains a unique and dedicated infotainment system.

In short, in-vehicle infotainment systems have become a trend, and their complexity and importance will only increase day by day, and the impact on car buyers' decision-making will increase. Automakers and market analysts have also recognized this trend and understand the opportunities behind it, but still strive to control costs while meeting consumer needs.

Fortunately, we have seen that the same solution can help automakers design in-vehicle infotainment systems and applications that keep pace with the rapid development of smartphones, control the cost of these systems, and even reduce the development of such information. The cost of the entertainment system. And this solution is HTML5.

Fragmentation technology

To understand why HTML5 can help automakers achieve a balance between smartphones and the car's lifecycle, and reduce the cost of developing infotainment systems, it's worth taking a peek at the current state of content and service models offered to users. If you use a word to summarize, it is "fragmentation."

The reason for this fragmentation is mainly due to consumer demand and rapid technological innovation, and the market environment in which these factors are located is volatile and highly competitive. Ultimately, the inherent limitations of the content delivery model have led to this problem.

Consumer expectations

Consumers are accustomed to the rapid update speed of smartphones and consumer electronics devices, and hope that all of their electronic products will bring a refreshing feeling - including cars. Their demand for automotive electronics is no less than that of smartphones and tablets.
Branded business models and technologies

In response to these consumer demands and innovations, both new and existing companies are committed to enhancing their branded business models and proprietary technologies to achieve product differentiation and competitive advantage. Apple iTunes and its app store, and Adobe Flash and its AIR display are two of the best-known branded business models and proprietary technology cases that have far-reaching consumer demand for computers, mobile phones, tablets and infotainment systems. influences.

Figure 2 HTML5 (general) and some of the standards and techniques borrowed from it

Limitations of delivery model

To date, there are fundamental limitations to the delivery model for consumer electronics and infotainment systems, and this is why the segmentation status has emerged. First, the site content was originally created for personal computers with high-end processors, keyboards, mice, and large screens. These contents cannot be fully applied to low-power mobile phones with small screens and small keyboards. Tablet PCs are relatively open but still limited, and in-vehicle infotainment systems have special requirements for practicality and security.

Web pages, applications, and virtual applications

Many website content publishers will keep at least two versions of the webpage, one for personal computers and one for mobile devices, to address the different needs of desktops/laptops, tablets, smartphones and in-vehicle systems. To ensure practicality and safety issues (especially for driver distractions), web pages obtained by the console infotainment system must be filtered, especially for in-vehicle applications. In addition, mobile devices, including in-vehicle infotainment components, are subject to connection disruption, during which time it is impossible to find new web pages, download (or upload) content, and in fact cannot perform any cloud service operations.

So far, the most successful measure to transfer website content to small mobile devices is application porting. Following Apple's cutting-edge technology, device manufacturers have trained developers who develop small applications or provide applications for specific goals. These applications can run specific tasks or services with a simple click. Since these applications run on mobile devices, once installed, dynamic data updates can be achieved with just a connection. Even applications that require connectivity (such as flight tracking or route planning) can handle short-term temporary connection failures, except that the web browser cannot load the requested page and data. Another advantage is that these applications are targeted at mobile devices, so the processor consumes less power and the screen is more compact.

However, applications have their drawbacks, and some analysts have questioned whether this is a future expedient. The shortcomings of the application include, first, they are limited in number: although the 400,000 apps provided by Apple Store (the numbers are constantly being updated) are a large number, they are far less than the current number of sites of 260 million, and this Among them, 100 million websites are active. Second, as smartphone users know, to ensure that existing applications continue to operate, regular user intervention is required: upgrades and device-based reboots, which is also a long-term problem. Third, the application is run on the device. Unlike a web page that requires only one browser or one HTML engine, a different version of an application must be built on the device it is running on. Finally, because applications are specific to a particular device, they are not easily transitioned between devices. For example, it is difficult for a user looking for a direction using a smartphone GPS to simply port the phone to the car and then port the function to the in-vehicle system.

In IDC's "Smartphone Network" report, John Delaney pointed out that since the app store model may be just a transitional phase, it will eventually merge with the browser model, "applications and browser experiences will gradually merge over time." In fact, this integration has begun in a gradual process. Content providers have begun to turn to HTML5 to develop web-based virtual applications to replace Apple's leading app store model. These virtual applications are just the point of entry to the web for cloud computing applications. The user only needs to download the interface, and the upgrade is done on the content provider's server.

As one of the first mainstream news portals to adopt this model, the Financial Times highlights the simplicity of virtual applications in its prominent pages: no need to download the app store... no need to visit the app store for the latest version...

Importantly, the Financial Times launches this new model specifically for iPads and iPhones, as well as other devices that use the most number of applications and support downloads. In just a few months, the number of users reached 700,000. This proves that HTML5 is more popular than traditional apps in the Apple App Store. The Financial Times is just one of many websites that have completed this transformation. A short article published at the end of September 2011 predicts that 34% of the world's top 100 websites use HTML5, YouTube runs the HTML5 trial program, and Facebook has opened the HTML5 Resource Center, proving its new content delivery model and support. Technical recognition.

In short, the app store model subtly meets consumer demand for content and services; this model also stimulates market demand for more content and services, whether it's a big company or an individual developer, with a good application idea, You can profit from it. Downloading an application and paying at the app store front desk provides an effective mechanism for delivering specific content and services.

However, because traditional website designs for computers and mobile devices must be different, applications must be differentiated based on the devices they run, which is a significant cost overhead for application vendors. Users must also download and upgrade regularly, which brings considerable inconvenience and trouble. It’s impossible for the app store to shut down its servers very quickly, but the main content providers are withdrawing from the app store model and gradually returning to the web — a network powered by HTML5.

HTML5 and automotive systems

Why should automakers pay attention to HTML5? The answer is actually very simple. HTML5 can help automakers 1) provide current and future configurations and performance for car buyers; 2) keep pace with the rapid development and delivery of consumer products, applications and services; 3) provide consumers with current Expected vehicle performance and cost control during configuration; 4) Fully grasp new opportunities and achieve brand differentiation and loyalty. Of course, the next question is, how does HTML5 do the above?

a widely adopted non-proprietary standard

HTML5 is not a panacea. But HTML5 is a set of non-proprietary standards that provide content and functionality for a variety of devices, including in-vehicle systems. Strictly speaking, HTML5 is the standard for next-generation web rendering. More commonly, which we use here, HTML5 includes its own HTML5 standard and other standards and technologies such as CSS3 (Cascading Style Sheets), JavaScript scripting languages, and associated standards, including AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML). And JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) and other non-proprietary standards such as XML.

The key to the HTML5 long-term strategy is that these standards are not exclusive and there are no locked sellers, so there is no such thing as a failure. Like Adobe's recent abandonment of Flash plug-ins that support mobile devices, the decision directly caused by the advantages of HTML5 will not happen to HTML5. Next, more and more important players will bet on this successful standard. HTML5 is currently the largest ecosystem, not only for current developments, but also for the ongoing research and development of the people of insight and the tools they use.

As a result, automakers believe they have a set of standards that have been widely adopted and quickly become ubiquitous. There is no risk that HTML5 will suddenly disappear. In fact, on the contrary, although the key modules of the HTML5 standard are not only available but have already been used, a truly fully satisfactory standard may have to wait 10 years. This standard programmer is far-sighted. They think that HTML5 will exist for a long time and plan for its development, so that it can accept new technologies available during the long-term use of HTML5.

Figure 3 HTML5 applications and services can run on a cloud or other different device and can design HMIs for devices in use

Meet consumer expectations

The fact that a standard or a technology is widely adopted by other industries does not mean that it is ideal or even useful for in-vehicle systems. Wired telephone communication has been ubiquitous for decades, but even before the advent of mobile phones, no one suggested that cars should be equipped with ground communication phones and black wires on the street.

However, HTML5 does seem to be the focus of the car manufacturers in the middle. It provides a powerful and flexible architecture for building in-vehicle HMIs that integrate virtually all messaging modes: network, device-side applications, cloud-based services, and any content and feature types, including interactive display, audio, video , speech recognition, touch, and any great solution that solves the problem of synchronizing with the phone. Deployed as a cross-platform standard, it can be used not only on different models of similar products, such as iPhone and BlackBerry (both are smartphones), but also for different kinds of devices, such as smartphones, tablets, desktops. Computers and laptops, as well as in-vehicle systems. HTML5 facilitates application migration, whether it's device-based or cloud-based or both, allowing seamless migration between devices.

As long as their in-vehicle system supports HTML5, car manufacturers can easily introduce any running or accessed programs in HTML5, such as those used on smartphones, into their cars. They don't even need a browser, just an HTML5 engine. They can use CSS to define what features can be accessed and how to present content, filter features in the car and design HMIs to meet the most demanding needs and reduce distracting drivers. Concise display and precise control without changing existing functions and technologies. In short, HTML5 enables automakers to keep up-to-date on-board systems while building the HMIs they need in their vehicles. If you just launched a program for smartphones last month, it can be easily applied to cars made three years ago using HTML5.

So what about numbers?

Ultimately, the standard for measuring any technology is still digital. Regardless of how competitive the engineering application of this technology is, if its business application case is not strong enough, this technology should also be abandoned. Of course, every car manufacturer must conduct its own research, make its own HTML5 business application case, and evaluate how effective this model is compared to those that result from other content delivery models.

In general, it can be said with certainty that the following represent the benefits of HTML5 for in-vehicle systems:

HTML5 is non-proprietary and will be available for a long time, so car manufacturers don't have to worry about being locked into any technology that might be outdated quickly.

HTML5 supports any combination of content and service delivery: network, device-side applications, and cloud-based services, so it's ideal for keeping car systems available at all times and ensuring integration with smartphones and other devices. select.

HTML5 provides a rich application environment. Basically, other technologies can do it. For example, CSS3 facilitates company and car model brand marketing, as well as difficult conversions such as sliding menus, fades, and some development. The board can even provide hardware acceleration. It can be shared with other HMI technologies (OpenGL ES, Flash, native, etc.), and if the dominant operating system is right, it can keep pace with any rhythm that car manufacturers want.

HTML5 has an extensive ecosystem and a deep and breadth of developer communities where automakers can develop their own HTML5 projects.

HTML5 is easy to use, supports a variety of system architectures and flexible application models, thus simplifying design development and speeding time to market.

Today, electronic devices account for nearly a third of the cost of cars, and in-vehicle electronic entertainment systems are a very important part of this cost. Therefore, car manufacturers should carefully consider any that can help them manage these costs. Standards and technology. HTML5 is a non-proprietary and widely adopted standard that has proven its worth in a series of implementations. If there is anything in the future or in the future that can help automakers deliver the in-vehicle electronic entertainment system their customers want with a reasonable architecture, then non-HTML5 is the only one.

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