The Human-Machine Interface solutions are the key to ensure that the advanced automotive technologies are interfaced with the user in simple and intuitive ways that enables them to operate these technologies with ease. HMI technologies are aiming to provide a user-centric holistic Human-Machine Interface to the consumer. The Future Automotive Industry Structure - FAST 2030 report, HMI is one of the seven trends that will reshape the automotive industry by 2030.

Some HMI technologies would feature prominently in the near future are:

Head-Up Display (HUD)

The head-up display was created to reduce driver distraction and to increase safety. To read the driving information from the instrument cluster, one has to take their eyes off the road for at least half a second. This means that when the driver keeps a speed of 120 km/h, they will be driving blind for about 33 meters. A head-up display (HUD) shows information exactly where the driver needs it – directly in the line of sight. With the Head-up display, the driver gets all relevant driving information such as speed, warnings, navigation guidance over the hood. With Augmented-Reality Head-up displays in addition to regular driving information, it also supplements the exterior view of the traffic conditions in front of the vehicle with virtual information for the driver.

For Continental, the HUD represents a key technology and ensures safety and comfort at all times. With this technology, we provide driver confidence in automated driving.

Natural 3D Lightfield Display

The natural 3D Lightfield display is creating a new dimension of comfort and safety. It provides a natural 3D user experience of the highest quality in the vehicle. 3D displays have benefits like the accuracy of object position, joy of use by providing attractiveness and user experience, reduced reaction time on unexpected events. Hence features like navigation, cruise control, parking, warnings in 3D make driving comfortable and intuitive. With the Lightfield technology, there is neither the need for cameras detecting head movement nor 3D glasses. As there is no need for head tracking, the 3D display is not limited to the driver’s view, and the front passenger and the occupants in the rear seat can also enjoy the three-dimensional experience. This opens the door for entertainment features in 3D like video conferencing, movies, online shopping, and much more.

Continental’s new 3D Lightfield application using Leia’s DLB (Diffractive Lightfield Backlighting) technology offers the next level above conventional 3D displays. It enables a crystal-clear screen, even when sunlight is shining directly onto it.

Cross-Domain Hub

Cross-Domain Hub is a crucial step towards the transformation of modern vehicle architecture that demands the consolidation of electronic control units (ECU). Cross-Domain Hub is a high-performance computer that integrates all the displays into a single unit and provides a holistic Human-Machine Interface. The driver can dynamically distribute content across multiple displays and place the information where they need to see it. The displays are enabled with touch, gesture recognition, voice recognition, and haptic feedback that allows the driver to stay focused on the road and makes driving safe. It provides a flexible user interface personalized for the user. The user interface is seamless across the integrated display, providing a consistent Human-Machine interface philosophy.

Continental provides a scalable solution to cater to the premium segment to entry Cross-Domain Hub. Our first Cross-Domain Hub has hit series production now.

Ac2ated Sound

A recent innovation that was showcased at CES 2020, this unique system fills the vehicle interior with lifelike immersive sound. It provides a breathtaking 3D sound reproduction, engaging passengers in an excellently detailed and evocative soundtrack, which helps them enjoy their in-car entertainment to the fullest. This system produces the highest audio quality, which is ideally suited for electric vehicles as well, saving space and weight. This system is inspired by the classical string instruments technology, where the wooden body is used to resonate chamber and actuators excite specific surfaces in the vehicle interior. This results in an extremely natural experience for the user.

Continental’s innovative concept abandons conventional speaker technology altogether. Combined with Sennheiser’s AMBEO Mobility, the concept achieves a breathtaking 3D sound reproduction that envelops passengers in an incredibly detailed and vivid soundscape and lets them enjoy their in-car entertainment to the fullest.

Smart Voice Assistant

Smart Voice Assistant helps in natural and safe communication with the vehicle. A few years back, people could hear the radio or their family with them while driving a car, but now cars itself is becoming a smart communication partner. Driver assistance and infotainment are supplying more and more information to the driver, so there is a need for solutions that ensure intuitive, easy, and safe interaction between the driver and the car. This HMI technology uses the most natural means of communication: the spoken word. The system is capable of communicating almost like a human. Smart and adaptive driver assistance system enables natural dialog, understands multiple questions in one sentence, and detects logical connections, and provides distraction-free operation via smart voice control enhances road safety.

Continental’s Smart Voice Assistant is an intelligent speech assistant that can learn and adapt to user behavior, preferences, and context. By that, it helps drivers to interact with the vehicle in a less distracting way, pushing the user experience to the next level.

Conclusion

The HMI revolution in vehicles was started by replacing buttons with dashboard screens. Then voice commands were incorporated, and vehicles began talking to their drivers. However, the human-machine interface goes beyond the screens. Though the industry is still years away from fully autonomous vehicles as autonomy increases, the importance of driver’s attention will decrease, and manufacturers have to shift their focus on enabling communication between the owner, the passengers, and the vehicle. Automotive technology companies have started working on this aspect and are developing solutions for a comfortable journey for everyone in the car and not only the driver. Automated vehicles are the future of driving, and HMI is here to enable it. (MT)

NB: Rosemary Joshy is the Head of Engineering, Human Machine Interface business unit, Continental Automotive India. Views expressed are personal.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Hindustan Zinc Limited, India's sole and the world's biggest integrated zinc producer, said today that its Board of Directors has authorised the first phase of investments to double production capacity.

This development is in line with the robust rise in the demand for steel both domestically and internationally. Over the next five years, the company intends to increase its capacity for producing metal and silver, increasing its overall production capacity to over 2,000 KTPA and 1500 tonnes, respectively. In addition to expanding related mines and mills throughout its operations, the Board has authorised the proposal to establish a new 250 KTPA integrated smelter at Debari in the Udaipur area of Rajasthan. The company’s current metal production capacity is 1.1 million tonnes. At a total cost of over INR 120 billion, the project is expected to be finished in 36 months.

This is an important development since it coincides with the ongoing global zinc market shortage. Silver output has increased more than 20 times, while zinc production has increased four times since the government sold up its share in 2002 and the Vedanta Group bought it. Holding the second-highest zinc reserves and resources in the world with more than 25 years of mine life, the firm is one of the lowest cost zinc producers in the world.

Arun Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc Limited, said, “We are excited to announce this 2x growth project towards doubling our capacity across zinc, lead and silver, which is strategically aligned with the country’s expanding economic landscape, increasing demand opportunities and keeping country self-reliant for Zinc. By closely matching the pace of national growth, we are confident that this will create significant value for our stakeholders and drive long-term success.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

India’s automotive industry could face fresh supply chain disruptions by mid-July 2025 due to declining inventories of rare earth magnets, following tightened export restrictions and shipment delays from China, according to rating agency ICRA.

Jitin Makkar, Senior Vice President and Group Head – Corporate Ratings at ICRA, cautioned that the situation echoes the semiconductor shortage of 2021–22, which led to the loss of nearly 100,000 passenger vehicles. “Rare earth magnet inventories are projected to last only until mid-July 2025 for several passenger vehicle and two-wheeler applications,” he said.

Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets, critical for high-performance uses like EV traction motors and power steering systems, are heavily imported – around 85 percent of India’s USD 200 million imports in FY2025 came from China. These magnets make up nearly 30 percent of an electric two-wheeler motor’s cost, with motors priced between INR 8,000 and INR 15,000 depending on specifications.

To counter the supply challenge, Indian OEMs and auto component manufacturers are exploring several alternatives: importing fully assembled motors from China, sending rotors to China for magnet assembly, using substitute materials with similar properties, or switching to rare earth-free motors using electromagnets. However, each option faces significant logistical, regulatory, and engineering hurdles.

While the immediate impact could disrupt production planning, ICRA believes the crisis may also drive innovation and diversification in both materials and supply chains for the Indian auto sector.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Hyundai Mobis, a part of Hyundai Group specialising in manufacturing of auto components, modules & systems, has developed a new rear safety control technology that can reduce rear-end collisions.

The company states its new active control technology uses sensors to detect approaching vehicles from behind and manoeuvre the vehicle out of danger, is expected to hit the market soon. It integrates sensors such as rear-side radars and front cameras with driving control technology.

The solution works when the driver engages the Smart Cruise Control (SCC) function on the highway. When the sensors detect any other vehicle at a proximity of 10 metres or less, it first emits an audio alarm or a visual warning on the cluster. When the situation keeps persisting after a certain amount of time, the vehicle automatically accelerates to maintain a safe distance. In addition, the rear side radars also detect the movement of the vehicle behind, while the front camera recognises the lane and vehicle ahead on the driving path to assist in safe acceleration.

Hyundai Mobis acknowledges that while some global OEMs have already integrated such technology, the functions are not yet advanced enough for the vehicle to control itself autonomously. On the other hand, its technology is able to independently adjust the distance between the front and rear vehicles and avoid dangerous situations.
The Korean company plans to further expand the scope of autonomous control for defensive driving against rear vehicles. Currently, the company is developing a lane-changing function to escape dangerous situations, in addition to an acceleration control function that allows the vehicle to speed up on its own.

Jung Soo-kyung, Executive Vice-President and Head of Automotive Electronics Business Units, Hyundai Mobis, said, “We will actively protect the safety of mobility users by providing solutions that can intelligently handle not only front-end safety, but also dangerous situations caused by rear vehicles while driving.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

HARMAN, a leading automotive technology company and subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, has unveiled an advanced in-vehicle display that elevates the driving experience with consumer-tech-level visuals. This cutting-edge display, set to debut in the all-new Tata Harrier.ev, represents the first automotive integration of Samsung’s proprietary Neo QLED technology, exclusively licensed and optimised by HARMAN for vehicle applications.

The new 14.53-inch floating Neo QLED display delivers stunning home-theatre-quality visuals with vibrant colours, deep contrast and enhanced brightness, all powered by intelligent algorithms and a sleek, modern design. Engineered to perform flawlessly in all lighting conditions, the display incorporates HARMAN’s proprietary real-time visual control technology, which dynamically adjusts image output to optimize power efficiency. Among its key innovations are the industry’s first cadmium-free Quantum Dot display with intelligent Blue Mini-LED control, 1200-nit peak brightness, true black levels and an expansive 95 percent NTSC colour gamut. The ultra-slim design, featuring bezels under five mm, ensures a seamless and sophisticated aesthetic.

This breakthrough builds on HARMAN’s longstanding partnership with Tata Motors, which began with the integration of JBL audio systems in Tata vehicles across India. With the Harrier.ev, the collaboration now extends to premium branded displays, reinforcing both companies’ commitment to innovation and superior in-car experiences.

Shilpa Dely, Vice President – Displays, HARMAN, said, “We’ve brought together Samsung’s cutting-edge consumer display innovation and HARMAN’s deep automotive expertise to create something truly unique: a first-of-its-kind, in-vehicle visual experience that brings living room TV-level brilliance to the road. We have finally closed the gap between consumer and automotive display technology – and we’re proud to debut this global breakthrough with our trusted partners at Tata Motors.”

Anand Kulkarni, Chief Products Officer, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited, said, “We’re committed to delivering world-class technology to Indian consumers. Together with HARMAN, we're bringing the best of consumer display innovation in India’s most capable SUV, the recently launched Harrier.ev, transforming it into a true third living space after home and office. This collaboration sets a new standard for in-cabin experiences – not just in India, but around the world.”

Sanjeev Kulkarni, Vice President – Sales, HARMAN, said, “Our partnership with Tata Motors spans more than a decade and is built on a like-minded approach to innovation, along with a joint promise to deliver the very best in-cabin experiences to our customers,”. “From JBL premium audio to advanced intelligent cockpit solutions, HARMAN is a defining part of the Tata driving experience. With the introduction of our new display product, we’re proud to take that collaboration even further.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!