OREANDA-NEWS. January 25, 2013. The new MyLink infotainment system from Chevrolet received the "Best-of-CES Award 2013" at the Consumer Electronics Show 2013 in Las Vegas. What is behind the operating concept of the MyLink for the 2014 model of the new Chevrolet Impala is the automotive know-how of General Motors and Bosch, the in-depth knowledge of the sensitive interface between the user and technology. MyLink was chosen by the judges as the best innovation in the "Car Tech" category.

 With this system, General Motors and the Bosch Car Multimedia division have developed a completely new platform for automotive infotainment to massproduction maturity – a driver information system that works with an open-source operating system. "Thanks to natural voice input, our new head unit is now also even easier for the car driver to operate," says Dr. Uwe Thomas, President of the Car Multimedia division at Bosch. Up until now, it was necessary for the driver to memorize a specific string of commands to operate the system. In contrast, this latest system is able to understand the driver as if s/he was talking to someone sitting on the passenger seat.

Central unit for entertainment, information, communication and operation
The car driver uses the head unit in Chevrolet vehicles to control the audio and video systems, players connected via USB or Bluetooth®, smartphones, special vehicle emergency call systems like OnStar, telematics services, radio reception via AM, FM, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, DAB or Pandora® internet radio, video-based parking systems as well as the vehicle navigation, and climate control. In short: all the infotainment and operating systems in a vehicle you can imagine. In addition, the head unit also allows communication between the different systems with one another – without the driver having to take any action. It affords more information, more convenience and relieves the driver of many otherwise tedious activities. This is what the experts at Bosch call "Driving Convenience".

Wide range of interfaces
The system is able to accommodate a wide variety of different communication options with external devices and media: up to ten parallel connections via Bluetooth 3.0 and USB interfaces, iPod and iPhone connectivity, an SD card slot, Bluetooth® connection for mobile telephony with voice control, hands-free operation with noise suppression and the ability to read, analyze and play back virtually any popular digital audio and video format. Bosch Car Multimedia President Uwe Thomas describes the innovation in a nutshell: "The head unit from Bosch opens up completely new forms of communication, information and in-car operation for the driver."
Automotive Technology is the largest Bosch Group business sector. According to preliminary figures, its sales came to 30.9 billion euros, or 59 percent of total group sales, in fiscal 2012. This makes the Bosch Group one of the leading automotive suppliers. Worldwide, some 171,000 Automotive Technology associates work in seven areas of business: injection technology for internal-combustion engines, powertrain peripherals, alternative drive concepts, active and passive safety systems, assistance and comfort functions, in-car information and communication, as well as services and technology for the automotive aftermarket. Bosch has been responsible for important automotive innovations, such as electronic engine management, the ESP® anti-skid system, and common-rail diesel technology.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services, active in the fields of automotive technology, energy and building technology, industrial technology, and consumer goods. According to preliminary figures, more than 306,000 associates generated sales of 52.3 billion euros in 2012. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 350 subsidiaries and regional companies in some 60 countries. If its sales and service partners are included, then Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. Bosch spent some 4.5 billion euros for research and development in 2012, and applied for over 4,700 patents worldwide. The Bosch Group’s products and services are designed to fascinate, and to improve the quality of life by providing solutions which are both innovative and beneficial. In this way, the company offers technology worldwide that is “Invented for life.”