AES Dublin 2019
Tutorial T01
Wednesday, March 20, 09:15 — 10:45 (Liffey Hall 2)
T01 - Bluetooth Audio and the Car
Chair:Jonny McClintock, Qualcomm Technology International Ltd. - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Panelists:
Francesco Condorelli, Qualcomm Technologies International GmbH - Munich, Germany
Jayant Datta, Audio Precision - Beaverton, OR, USA
Richard Hollinshead, MQA - Huntingdon, UK
The latest cars have advanced sound systems and many people use their mobile phones to access music while driving yet relatively little attention has been given to the wireless audio link between the phone and the car sound system. This tutorial will describe the use of Bluetooth with enhanced audio to connect in-car entertainment systems and the benefits this will bring to users. These developments will ensure that drivers and passengers can enjoy CD quality, or better, without using cables, audio and rear seat passengers can enjoy synced gaming audio.
Many drivers are spending more time in the car with some commuters regularly stuck for hours in rush hour traffic. Sound and in-car entertainment systems are therefore very attractive to drivers and a valuable differentiator for car manufacturers. Advanced sound systems, which in some cars cost several thousand dollars and include more than 10 speakers, are a standard feature on some new cars, an important upgrade option on most cars, and represent a significant aftermarket opportunity.
The quality of sound enjoyed by the driver and passengers depends not only on the quality of the sound system but also the quality of the audio source and the connectivity between the audio source and the sound system. Drivers have relied on Satellite or DAB radio and multidisc CD systems to provide audio in cars. This is changing in a world where Internet radio, streamed music and playlists stored on mobile phones are the audio sources chosen by users at home, on the move and in their cars. Bluetooth connectivity has been available in cars for 15 years and all smart phones support Bluetooth audio. Most new cars now come with Bluetooth connectivity and the rest provide Bluetooth as an option.