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OEM-System Integration With Smartphones, Tablets Advances

NEW YORK —

Smartphone and tablet integration with
automotive OEM systems gained ground with separate
announcements from Harman International and Pandora.

Harman said it became the first automotive OEM
supplier to support the Android Open Accessory Protocol,
which lets drivers control Android smartphone
and tablet content — including music, movie and navigation
apps — through a car’s dashboard and steeringwheel
controls and via a vehicle’s OEM voice-activation
system.

For its part, Internet music service Pandora announced
that it established a relationship with Scion
and expanded its Ford relationship.

At Harman, the company will build the Android protocol
into its low- to high-end offerings to connect to Android
tablets and smartphones via USB. The protocol
is built into Android tablets running Android 3.1 (Honeycomb)
and Android smartphones running Android
2.3.4 (Gingerbread) and later. Harman’s Android protocol
adoption extends Android email and SMS support
previously launched by the company.

Additional capabilities enabled by the Android protocol
adoption include enhancing OEM navigation systems
by, for example, delivering info via smartphone
on nearby restaurants, tourist spots or gas stations for
overlay into OEM maps.

With Harman’s adoption of the Android protocol, the
OEM supplier said it supports all major mobile operating
systems, including Apple’s iOS, Research in Motion’s
BlackBerry platform and Nokia’s existing mobile
systems.

For its part, Internet music service Pandora announced
that it established a relationship with Scion
and expanded its Ford relationship. Ford plans to offer
Pandora control in 10 Ford vehicles and two Lincoln
vehicles, up from five Fords and one Lincoln. The current
Ford/Lincoln models are the 2011 Fiesta and 2012
models of Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, Ford Mustang, Shelby
GT500 and Lincoln MKZ. This fall, Ford will add the
2012 F-150, F-Series Super Duty, Expedition, E-Series,
F-150 SVT Raptor and Lincoln Navigator. At Scion, the
company will offer Pandora control in the xB in mid-July
and the tC RS 7.0 in August.

Currently, Pandora service is also integrated in select
BMWs, Mercedes-Benz vehicles and Minis. Other
automakers that have announced plans to integrate
Pandora include Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Hyundai and
Toyota, Pandora noted. The personalized Internet radio
service is also available in aftermarket head units made
by Alpine, JVC, Kenwood and Pioneer, with radios from
Sony coming soon, Pandora said.

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