Picture credit: RealVNC

Infotainment communications system MirrorLink has announced the successful integration of its technology with the Intel-based Tizen in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) reference platform.

Remote access technology provider RealVNC was behind the port of its VNC Automotive SDK to Tizen IVI, the automotive profile of the Tizen open source platform, which means Intel’s Tizen OS will now be able to communicate with Mirrorlink-enabled devices including Samsung, Nokia and HTC.

VNC Automotive’s SDK lets drivers control their mobile device from a car’s head unit or infotainment system, making it easier for them to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

The same software has the ability to let children in the back of a vehicle watch different movies while the driver operates satellite navigation software in the front, essentially using one mobile to power multiple screens in a vehicle.

Open source favoured

Intel revealed that the Tizen ecosystem has become popular with manufacturers and Mark Skarpness, director of systems engineering at Intel’s Open Source Technology Center, hopes to increase this uptake.

“Many Car OEMs, Automotive Tier1s and System Integrators are deploying open source software and actively participating in Tizen development,” he said.

“The VNC Automotive SDK will help provide a richer experience for consumers connecting their smart devices to the Automotive Head Units in the car.”

Linux-based operating Tizen has already been bundled into several current General Motors and Toyota car models, with plans to include it in the infotainment setup of next year’s Honda Civic.

Meanwhile, MirrorLink has also been making healthy progress with mobile manufacturers. In the past few months it has signed up devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge and HTC One (M8).