Intel Capital,chip-maker Intel's global investment arm,today said it has set up USD 100 million 'Connected Car Fund' to help speed up innovation as well the adoption of new technology and services in the automotive industry. The fund will invest globally over the next 4-5 years in hardware,software and services companies developing technologies to promote new in-vehicle applications and enable the seamless connection between vehicles and any connected device,including mobile devices and sensors,Intel Capital said in a statement. "Automobiles must be able to provide these same consistent and engaging computing experiences,but in a safe manner. The Intel Capital Connected Car Fund will drive the development of technologies to enhance the in-vehicle experience of the future," Intel Capital President and Intel Executive Vice President Arvind Sodhani said. Connected cars would have the intelligence and context awareness to offer the right information at the right time to keep drivers and passengers informed and entertained,while maintaining optimal safety,the statement added. Once the car becomes connected,it can also communicate with the cloud,the transportation infrastructure and even other vehicles to provide additional services such as advanced driver assistance and real-time traffic information to optimise the flow of traffic. "By 2014,automobiles will be among the top three fastest-growing areas for connected devices and Internet content. Intel's experience in developing personal computing,software,security and cloud computing technologies will bring a new level of innovation to the car to enhance the driving experience for both drivers and passengers," Intel General Manager Automotive Solutions Division Staci Palmer said. The USD 100 million fund will look at technologies that advance the next generation of in-vehicle infotainment,advanced driver assistance systems and mobile connectivity. This includes new in-vehicle applications and development tools,next-generation Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technologies and multi-modal capabilities such as speech recognition,gesture recognition and eye tracking optimised for the connected car,it said.
