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German Car Companies Choose Qi Charging

GAIMERSHEIM, GERMANY — A consortium of German automakers has recommended its members use the Qi standard for inductive wireless charging in current and future vehicle models.

The Experts from Consumer Electronics for Automotive working group (CE4A) includes BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche and Daimler, and was formed to promote an active standardization of interfaces between consumer mobile devices and automotive engine control units.

The CE4A said that by agreeing to use the same wireless charging technology, they will avoid battles over standards that don’t create value for their customers and for their own companies.

The group said it observed and examined the development of various wireless charging standards since 2010, including those from the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP), the Power Matters Alliance (PMA), and the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), publisher of the Qi standard.

The CE4A set requirements for the common standard, including installation space, usage profiles, electromagnetic compatibility and safety, among others. It also required that the standard offer potential for further development and commercialization, have global distribution, and have the acceptance of handset makers and wireless providers.

The recommendation also provides that charging should begin automatically when a user simply places a device at a specific location in the vehicle. Once the battery is fully charged or the device is removed, charging stops automatically as well. Energy transmission is also interrupted when the distance becomes too great or metal objects come between the device and the charging station.

Mobile device manufacturers that are working with the standard include Asus, HTC, Huawei, LG Electronics, Motorola Mobility, Nokia, Samsung and Sony.

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