Ahead of the launch of the Harman Smart Auto, Express Drives spoke to Sandip Ranjhan, SVP and GM for HARMAN Connected Services, HARMAN International about this first-of-its kind product from the Harman India
The age of connected vehicles is upon us and even as OEMs drive for more and more connectivity for automobiles, there is still a majority of vehicles in India that probably will never get OEM support to connect themselves to the cloud and therein, lies an opportunity. Harman has sighted this opportunity at the outset, and on the back of a successful launch of their plug and play connected vehicles technology in the US they have officially announced the product for India. Harman says the sheer volumetric size of the Indian automotive market is enticing as it is, when added to the fact that even the device on sale in the US right now was designed and developed at Harman’s R&D Facility in Bangalore. Harman says that they will launch the product that they call the Harman Smart Auto, a plug-and-play device that will open up a world of possibilities including diagnostics and controls for your car using the IOT.
What is a Connected Car?
The first question on everyone’s mind is what a Connected Car is. The Internet Of Things (IoT) has opened a doorway to information and collecting data from an otherwise static resource through the internet is the cornerstone of this technology. The device, which plugs into the OBD port of your car as a read-only device, tracks various parameters of the vehicles while you drive and while the vehicle is parked. Parameters like wheel speed, throttle usage, idle time and driving style, GPS Data are then recorded and uploaded to the cloud. The master server then uses this data to create a vast outlay of information, that is useful to the user. From a full-fledged driving Scorecard to vehicle diagnostics and component wear and tear monitor and a whole lot more, the Harman’s Smart Auto Solution does it all giving you 100% access to your car at all times.
What can it do?
We spoke to Sandip Ranjhan, SVP and GM for HARMAN Connected Services, HARMAN International to fully understand the depth of Harman’s Smart Auto Solution, and what it can offer the end user. Sandip stressed multiple times that the possibilities are endless. The device, which uses carrier connectivity to stay connected to the internet can also be updated over the air (OTA), meaning that the extent of services that can be offered to the user is almost infinite and ultimately, it all depends on the end user. Since the product has been developed in India for India as well as for International markets, the response from Harman, based on information that users need, will be much quicker.
Out of the box, Harman’s Smart Car Solution will offer:
WiFi Connectivity: For up to 8 Devices
SOS Alerts: Alerts family and loved ones in case of an accident, location and severity is also reports
Roadside Assistance: Location as well as an in-app payment gateway for services received
Maintenance Notifications: Inform you of when your car is due for service
Trip History and Geo-Fencing: Track your car on the move and set routes, alerts can be customized
How can you install it? Will it void the warranty?
Harman says installing the device needs no training and will cause no damage to the vehicle. Simply plug it into the OBD port and you can be on your way, a process that takes no more than two minutes according to Harman.
When can I buy one?
Harman is currently in talks with Carrier partners with whom they will launch this product, like the AT&T Spark and Sprint Drive on sale in the US. Once Harman settles on a partner, something that they will be announcing sometime this month, they will be on track to launch either by the end of 2018 or early in 2019. Prices for the services in the US range between 250/month, to 1500/2 years. Sandip Ranjhan said that they were aware that India is a price-sensitive market and that Harman was focused on ensuring that services for India would be much less expensive. The fact that the product is made-in-India with R&D at Bangalore will be integral in keeping the price down.
