TOKYO AND ESPOO, Finland-Following on a series of recent announcements regarding wireless in-car communications, Nokia Corp. and Land Rover said they jointly developed the Personal Telephone Integration system, an integrated automotive communications system especially for Land Rover vehicles.
The system offers connections either via Bluetooth wireless technology or by using a compatible mobile-phone holder. The companies said the PTI system can be used with a wide range of mobile phones from different manufacturers.
With the PTI system, users can conveniently access key mobile-phone functions such as viewing and selecting phonebook entries, initiating and receiving incoming calls, viewing call logs and managing text messages all through the vehicle’s central infotainment display. Voice dialing and other phone functions can be activated using the vehicles’ steering wheel controls.
New Land Rover vehicles with the PTI system are expected to be available in the fourth quarter in Europe, Asia and the United States.
Meanwhile, Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. said it will offer in-car i-mode content through an agreement with Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. The companies said they would offer a new service that enables drivers to receive i-mode content on their mobile phones by using Nissan’s CARWINGS navigation system.
The new service, called Okutto-Keitai, allows drivers to receive i-mode digital maps and restaurant information based on their locations. A driver can request information from a CARWINGS live operator or by manually selecting the desired information on the navigation system. Within a few minutes, the CARWINGS data center will send an e-mail to the driver’s i-mode-compatible mobile phone with a URL link to the requested information.
The digital maps are provided by ZENRIN Co. Ltd., while the restaurant information is provided by Gourmet Navigator Inc.
Nissan also announced it developed software that allows drivers to switch back and forth from voice communications to data communications. The service allows drivers to engage in conversation with operators through Nissan’s latest CARWINGS system without having to pick up their Bluetooth-compatible FOMA F900iT handsets. The service was made available for the first time on Nissan’s Tiida compact hatchback, which went on sale Sept. 30.
Nissan and DoCoMo have conducted joint studies in various telematics areas since 2002.
