User interface developer Synaptics is intensifying its focus on automotive applications with a new, diverse product portfolio dedicated to this area.
The company says its display driver integrated circuits (DDIC) are already being integrated by OEMs in the US, Euorpe, and Japan; and its new ClearPad touch controller design wins are slated for mass production in the first half of next year. Meanwhile, its latest touchscreens offer moisture protection, multi-finger touch interaction, and the operability even with thick gloves.
But the company really looks to the smart car of the future with its Natural ID fingerprint sensors, which can be embedded pretty much anywhere in the car – the steering wheel, door handle, ignition button, and so on. These sensors offer user authentication, which could be leveraged for vehicle unlocking, theft prevention, and customization of vehicular settings.
The new offerings come at a time when the smart car market is really starting to gather momentum, with Visa and Accenture having recently announced efforts to offer turn the smart car into an mPayment vehicle, and other biometrics developers starting to market their own systems for smart car applications. Synaptics is well-positioned to get some attention for its own smart car products, given its prominence as a user interface solutions provider in the mobile market.
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