What do Taylor Swift’s legs and QNX Acoustics have in common?

By Megan Alink, Marketing Communications Director for Automotive

OK, so at first blush, nothing. Let me explain.

It starts with a number. A really big number. Think “40 million” — because I recently learned that that’s how many units of our QNX Acoustics for Voice product have shipped to date. Wow!

QNX Acoustics for Voice is a complete signal processing software solution for automotive voice communications, based on production-proven acoustics technology. It’s designed specifically to meet the acoustics challenges unique to the in-car environment, sets a new benchmark in hands-free quality, and, very importantly, supports the rigorous requirements of smartphone connectivity. Check out the product page for more information.

Obviously 40 million is a number worth talking about, so what’s the first thing that any marketing writer worth her salt does? She looks for an analogy to help put this impressive number into context. Number of steps it takes to go around the world? Population of California? Google comes in handy in such situations and eventually, it delivered the perfect informational nugget: Taylor Swift’s legs are reportedly insured for $40 million. What does this have to do with automotive acoustics? Well, clearly Ms. Swift’s legs are critical to her success as an entertainer, and, as anyone in the business of sound and noise knows, our acoustics engineers couldn’t make their magic — and achieve 40 million units sold — without their finely honed hearing. The conclusion is obvious. We must insure their ears for $40 million as well. All in favour?

Congratulations to everyone who has played a role in putting this ground breaking technology into the hands (and ears) of our customers, and many thanks to those customers for helping QNX achieve this amazing milestone.

With thanks to Phil Hetherington and Len Layton for the idea…

Range Rover Evoque prices: UK vs Malaysia

Recently met an old friend after 18 long years. We were university mates and both of us ended up in the UK in quite different occupations. However, despite being only about 100 miles apart we were unable to meet up because of something or the other.

It was quite ironic that we finally met up in Malaysia, around 9000 miles away from the UK. Anyway, we got to talking about cars like car lovers usually do and the cars we drive. My friend recently bought the Ranger Rover Evoque, which coincidentally also happens to be my dream car.

We were discussing car prices and how the Evoque is quite out of my league with prices starting at RM413,888 (without insurance).  Source: Paul Tan.

My friend was visibly shocked as the cost in the UK was around £30K (OTR). That's considered quite a handsome even for a luxury brand. However, it translates to about RM180K at the current exchange rates, which means that we are paying more than double the price of the Evoque here in Malaysia as compared to the UK. 

With that amount, I can buy a 2-sty Terrace/Link House 3 bedroom house near my office in Semenyih, Selangor. So literally the Ranger Rover Evoque is a house on wheels. 

Intel and QNX Software Systems talk connected cars

By Megan Alink, Marketing Communications Director for Automotive

How many collaborations in embedded have lasted more than three decades? Our relationship with Intel comes immediately to mind.

I’m told it all began in 1981, when the first IBM PCs ran the Intel 8088 microprocessor and the OS could be swapped out for QNX. A quick trip to your local Sears, ComputerLand or IBM Product Center, followed by an order to QNX Support, and the most reliable computer the market could offer was all yours.

The first IBM PC: 21lbs without the diskette drive and complete with a cassette player jack.
Photo credit: https://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/pc25/pc25_album.html

Fast forward 34 years, and QNX and Intel are still changing the technology landscape. Earlier this summer, Intel announced their plans to work with us on technologies for a variety of connected car applications, including infotainment systems, digital instrument clusters and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Right around that same time, our Andrew Poliak, global director of business development, met up with Ken Obuszewski, director of automotive marketing for Intel, at TU-Automotive Detroit, where they spoke on camera with Bill Hampton from The AutoBeat Group. The topic was, of course, the connected car, and both gentlemen made compelling comments about the future of this exciting aspect of automotive and our mutual plans to deliver:

“With the evolution of the connected car, the capabilities that you’re seeing in the vehicle are really starting to expand dramatically…QNX is a long-time leader in the automotive market, Intel – we’re one of the technology leaders making a large investment in automotive, [so] it’s very natural for us to expand our working relationship and to bring consumers great technologies going forward.” — Ken Obuszewski

“Making systems that can be upgradable and updateable even after you purchase the vehicle so that way it stays fresh and current over the life of the vehicle is really a key foundation of a software platform running in a real[ly] flexible architecture like Intel’s.” — Andrew Poliak

Check out the entire video below. Many thanks to our friends at Intel for this opportunity to talk about our shared vision.

Skoda Superb joins list of top safety achievers

According to the latest safety test results released by Euro NCAP, the Skoda Superb achieved 5 Stars, thanks to robust crash protection and its Autonomous Emergency Braking systems. The Superb is also equipped with crash avoidance technologies awarded under the Euro NCAP Advanced Rewards scheme such as Multi Collision Brake and Crew Protect Assist.

Among other cars tested, the Hyundai i20 supermini acheived 4 stars which is quite good for its segment, but misses out on the 5 stars due to a lack of an AEB system.

However, the Fiat Panda Cross recveived a modest 3 star rating. The supermini, based on the third-generation Panda 4x4 launched back in 2012, lacked assist technologies and also did not fare well in the latest full width crash test designed to evaluate the protection offered to smaller occupants in the driver and rear passenger seat.

Given below is the list of car safety ratings for 2015 so far, from the Euro NCAP website.