International CTIA Wireless 2012, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. May 9, 2012 — The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), an organisation driving global innovation for phone-centric car connectivity solutions, has surpassed the 50 member mark, having grown 50% in the first quarter of 2012 alone, and representing 70% of automotive and 70% of smartphone markets worldwide, the milestone represents a sharp increase in momentum for the MirrorLink(tm) standard.
The CCC made the announcement at the International CTIA WIRELESS 2012 event to reflect heightened co-ordination between the mobile, automotive and consumer electronics industries to make connected driving safer, more intuitive and more enjoyable.
The CCC’s total member count is now 58, despite the group being only 14 months old. Of the total, 20 members joined in the first quarter of 2012. Complementing this swift rise to prominence, the CCC
also announced a pivotal update to MirrorLink that will enable a much larger ecosystem of developers to create software applications for cars.
“Support from some of the most prestigious brands in the industry bodes extremely well for MirrorLink’s long-term health and makes adopting the standard more attractive for those who are as yet undecided,” said Car Connectivity Consortium Chairman and President Mika Rytkonen. “Whether it’s navigation, music or beyond, consumers today expect to have access to a wide range of smartphone services wherever they go. MirrorLink is a simple, elegant and powerful method of providing access to essential apps without drivers having to take their hands off the wheel or their eyes off the road.”
The latest companies to join the CCC include BMW, Fiat, Ford, KDDI, Renault, JVC Kenwood, Fujitsu, HARMAN, Pioneer and many others. These companies have joined together to create an easy-to-use solution allowing consumers to connect any MirrorLink-enabled smartphone with any MirrorLink-enabled vehicle system for access to a wide variety of applications certified for in-car use.
“The CCC is very pleased to see our membership reach this critical milestone,” said Car Connectivity Consortium Ecosystem Workgroup Chair Alfred Tom. “With the biggest names in the auto, mobile and consumer electronics industries collaborating on a seamless connected-car experience, the opportunities for innovation and ubiquity are virtually limitless.”
The Car Connectivity Consortium is dedicated to cross-industry collaboration in developing MirrorLink(tm) global standards and solutions for smartphone and in-vehicle connectivity. Car Connectivity Consortium members are among the world’s leading automotive, mobile communications and consumer electronics industry companies, including Alpine, BMW AG, Daimler, Delphi, Fiat Group Automobiles, Ford, Fujitsu Ten Corporation of America, General Motors, Garmin International, Harman, Honda R&D Co., Ltd., HTC, Hyundai Motor Company, JVC Kenwood Corporation, KDDI Corporation, LG Electronics, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Motorola Mobility, Nokia, Panasonic, Pioneer Corporation, PSA Automotive, QNX Software Systems, Ltd., Renault SAS, Renesas Electronics Corporation, Samsung, Sony Corporation, Sony Ericsson AB, Toyota, Volkswagen and many others. The Car Connectivity Consortium is open for any company to join.
