PCC contributed to the advanced infotainment solution through its key developments in cloud-based navigation, voice recognition, and mobile connectivity.
“The new complex MIB3 from Preh Car Connect means that we have overcome the previously closed boundaries for functionality on one device,” explains Stavros Mitrakis, PCC’s Managing Director. “We have linked hardware and software to various cloud services for the first time, significantly expanding infotainment functionality.”
Innovative advances in navigation applications
PCC’s advances in navigation applications are particularly innovative. The Dresden-based company is enabling cloud services – which will be used by millions of motorists in the future. In concrete terms, this leads to improved route calculations which take into account current traffic reports, roadworks, road closures and the actual traffic flow. Dynamic information such as gas station prices or the occupancy rate of networked parking lots can also be accessed.
During navigation, selected sights such as the Semper Opera House or the Brandenburg Gate are displayed in an attractive 3D graphic. These sights are embedded in subtly drawn 3D city models to create a realistic cityscape with optimal clarity.
Speech Control: Dialog in Natural Language
PCC has also made a particularly big advance in terms of speech recognition. Based on developments by a well-known US provider, PCC’s cloud has improved the user-friendliness of voice control compared to previous generations in such a way that a voice dialogue is possible in nearly natural language. The use of confining commands such as “navigate” are no longer needed. Instead, the system knows that if the command is “I'm hungry!”, it should look for a restaurant! Only the wake-up phrase “Hello Volkswagen” is required.
The intelligent voice dialog can also be used to control searches for radio stations or calls to contacts in the phone books of connected smartphones.
Connecting smartphones to the vehicle has also been significantly optimized. Connections, for example with Car Play, are no longer by cable, but of course now work “wirelessly”.
The development of the MIB3 took about three and a half years. PCC won a VW concept competition between ten participants in April 2015. PCC began developing the MIB3 in January 2016.
About Preh/Preh Car Connect (PCC)
As a global automotive supplier with around 7,200 employees, the Preh Group generated sales of more than EUR 1.3 billion in 2018. Preh was founded in 1919 in Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale and has been part of the Joyson Group since 2011. Preh’s development and manufacturing expertise includes, in particular, HMI systems for passenger cars and commercial vehicles, infotainment and connectivity solutions, as well as e-mobility control units.
Preh Car Connect GmbH (PCC) specializes in car infotainment, vehicle networking and telematics within the Preh Group. PCC’s product solutions are developed at its Development Center in Dresden. Production takes place at the two plants in Dippach in Thuringia and Oborniki in Poland.
Within the Joyson Group of Companies, Ningbo (China), founded in 2004 by Jeff Wang, the Preh Group forms the Automotive Electronics Division as a subsidiary of the listed Joyson Electronics Corp. (600699:Shanghai). Joyson is now one of the 40 largest automotive suppliers worldwide.
