HARMAN and Texas Instruments collaborate to redefine premium automotive infotainment experiences

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- HARMAN (NYSE:HAR), the global audio and infotainment group, and Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NASDAQ:TXN) today announced a collaboration to bring TI's OMAP™ 5 processors to HARMAN's premium automotive infotainment platform. Together, TI and HARMAN will leverage the OMAP 5 processors' smart multicore architecture to bring innovative, multimedia-rich experiences such as robust navigational tools, stunning 1080p graphics, interactive Web streaming and more to the world's most sophisticated automobiles. The OMAP 5 processors work hand-in-hand with TI's "Jacinto" automotive infotainment processors to provide a scalable platform with unparalleled automotive integration for HARMAN's products.

"HARMAN seeks out partners that not only drive excellence in the automotive space, but transform the way passengers and drivers interact with automobiles," said Michael Mauser, Executive Vice-president and Co-President Infotainment and Lifestyle at HARMAN. "TI's OMAP and Jacinto automotive infotainment processors are successfully shipping in HARMAN platforms today, and the inclusion of OMAP 5 processors in upcoming platforms brings in-car experiences to the next level. The OMAP 5 architecture exceeded our expectations in supporting multimedia-rich features that our premium automotive customers demand for next-generation infotainment experiences."

TI's OMAP 5 processors stood as HARMAN's architecture of choice for various reasons, including:

• Premium graphics and video capabilities: The OMAP 5 processors' superior graphics transform a car's head unit into a centralized multimedia command center. The processors include dedicated 3D graphics and video accelerators that enable features such as full high-definition (HD) 1080p60 frames-per-second multi-standard video, multiple 1080p displays, stereoscopic-3D mapping graphics and compelling user interfaces that are safe and easy for drivers to navigate. OMAP 5 processors also include dual-channel memory and support for all major video codecs and APIs – features that are unmatched by competitors.
• Fluid responsiveness: The OMAP 5 processors' smart multicore architecture unleashes the high-performance and low-power capabilities necessary for collecting and displaying information and multimedia in real time. The processors intelligently run multiple applications in parallel, which allows car manufacturers to support various in-dash features through a single processor, without sacrificing performance.
• Unmatched scalability: Understanding that the automotive market does not lend to a one-size-fits-all approach, TI's automotive-grade OMAP 5 processors scale to address the unique needs of car manufacturers across the globe. The architecture supports all high-level operating systems and software, and is fully programmable and customizable so manufacturers and car makers can put a personalized mark on their automotive experiences.

"HARMAN is synonymous with sophistication in the automotive space, similar to how the OMAP family is synonymous with sophistication in the applications processor space," said Remi El-Ouazzane, Vice President And General Manager, OMAP Platform Business Unit, TI. "We are proud to bring our expert teams together to fully leverage OMAP 5 processors' capabilities in HARMAN's premium automotive infotainment platforms. Automotive is one space in which innovation is bound to excel in coming years, and one that presents incredible opportunities for OMAP processors to create smarter, more intuitive user experiences."

TI's comprehensive automotive infotainment processors

Offering state-of-the-art performance, the OMAP 5 processors seamlessly integrate with TI's scalable Jacinto family, which supports all automotive peripherals. Together, these automotive-grade processors provide a scalable solution with top-notch visual computing and entertainment capabilities, and unleash the high-performance and low-power capabilities necessary for collecting and displaying information and multimedia in real time. The processors support the industry's largest number of standards and codecs, providing the flexibility to upgrade vehicle features and services during an automobile's lifecycle.

About HARMAN

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for the 12 months ending December 31, 2011. The company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbolNYSE:HAR.

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 90,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be – smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun.  Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do – from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities.  This is just the beginning of our story.  Learn more at www.ti.com.

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SOURCE Texas Instruments; HARMAN