HARMAN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, says it has developed a new intelligent software agent that anticipates and mitigates vehicle connectivity discrepancies on the road.

It says the newest solution in HARMAN’s telematics portfolio, HARMAN TBOT satisfies the current demand for high-speed connectivity with low latency, especially when used alongside 5G-enabled technologies like HARMAN’s Smart Conformal Antenna and full 5G and 5G-ready Telecommunications Control Units (TCU).

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

As consumer expectations for connectivity continue to grow, automobile manufacturers have both a responsibility and an opportunity to capture attention with incredible vehicle experiences. But limitations like latency, bandwidth and rapid technology evolutions make maintaining the pace challenging. As a result, the in-vehicle consumer experience is at risk of lacking the needed connectivity for long-term operation. With the 5G-ready TCU and TBOT, HARMAN will provide its automaker customers a nimble way to adapt to ever-evolving and growing experiences.

“A foundational element of all modern cars on the road today is, of course, connectivity,” said Vishnu Sundaram, Senior Vice President, HARMAN Telematics. “By introducing TBOT into vehicles, we are able to anticipate poor or congested connectivity, thereby mitigating any streaming or latency issues before the driver or passenger even observes a problem. Music streaming can go uninterrupted, navigation functions can continue, and conference calls can be held, even in areas of poor network service.”

Using the increased capabilities offered by 5G network adoption, HARMAN’s TBOT technology provides drivers a number of benefits, including:

See Also:
  • Heightened user experience: HARMAN TBOT predicts and optimizes the available connectivity options to match the bandwidth and latency demands of live streaming, gaming and other performance-demanding applications. This allows for an uninterrupted connectivity experience for drivers and riders, as well as saving money and energy.
  • Increased cost-savings: With the ability to anticipate the connectivity status miles in advance, TBOT can prepare for future more costly connectivity zones by increasing its download in free or low-price connectivity areas, driving down the cost of data consumption.
  • Lowered energy consumption: TBOT can also boost vehicle parameters such as battery life by optimizing performance, shutting off transmission and reception during periods of no connectivity, thereby decreasing energy usage—and boosting battery life—in both electric vehicles (EVs) and traditional combustion engine vehicles, and reducing range anxiety in EVs.
  • HARMAN TBOT, acting on behalf of both the vehicle and user, resides in the TCU, roadside nodes, on the Edge, and in the cloud. Its actions are aimed at changing parameters, adapting behaviors and features of the device, and initiating communication within the ecosystem.

HARMAN’s TBOT is only one of many enhancements enabled by 5G connectivity, which will increase in-vehicle communications speed and lower latency across the spectrum. HARMAN’s 5G-enabled telematics suite includes its 5G-ready TCU, which provides scalable mobile network connectivity for connected cars using either the current 4G network infrastructure or the faster 5G network of tomorrow.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

HARMAN also offers a 5G-ready multiband conformal antenna as an optional feature for its TCUs. Harman’s conformal antenna is the right option as cars are configured with many radio services, each requiring a dedicated antenna; it can host as many as 14 antennas.  The conformal antenna is mounted below the vehicle’s body surface providing improved aesthetics and more efficient aerodynamics. Used in place of the familiar “shark fin” antenna, which first appeared in the early part of the 21st century, the conformal antenna package gives vehicle designers a clean surface to design for the future. When integrated with the HARMAN TCU, the smart conformal antenna also improves communications performance and system reliability. It also facilitates easier factory installation.