On 17 Jan., the PATEO hardware team lighted up the world’s first NXP i.MX8 QuadMax module driven screen meeting vehicle specifications, making PATEO the first successful user of i.MX 8QM across the whole world. With two A72 cores, four A53 cores, two M4 cores and 16-shader GPU, i.MX 8QM is top-of-the-line version of the i.MX8 series. It is now the world’s top onboard processor boasting a powerful media engine for improvement of HMI, as well as 4K video and graphic performance for enhancement of VR or AR experience. PATEO will create a top-configuration smart cockpit based on the module. It is understood that PATEO is the first in the world to have accomplished such an achievement in the smart cockpit field, which is going to thoroughly disrupt people’s perception of traditional drive & ride, while also laying a solid foundation for making new breakthroughs in the development of intelligent vehicles.

The digital cockpit refers to the full digitalization of the cockpit area, where the driver steers the vehicle. As a matter of fact, it is more than just a screen sitting on the center console, but rather a total improvement of cabin electronics, namely a complete set of system composed of individual electronic components (infotainment system, central streaming video rearview mirror, head-up display, full-LED instrument panel, telematics module, 360° all-round view, safety & driver assistance, and entertainment system for front-/rear-seat passengers). The digital cockpit technology pioneered by PATEO will solve the problem lying in the fragmented functions of traditional cockpit area, while redefining the HMI approach from the driver and the passenger’s perspectives, so the steering area of the driver is no longer limited to the small screen, but rather the driving experience is redefined from the aspects of ergonomics, operational convenience and driving safety, with the aim of providing comprehensive services for users. At the same time, system design has given full consideration to advanced driver assistance and autonomous driving, so it is able to support more functional scalability and satisfy the computing needs for big data and intelligent algorithms. In particular, with regard to image processing capability, the speed has been remarkably improved when compared with the original system, so as to secure support for intelligent driving and autonomous driving.

N “First” Innovations in the Industry

Being able to develop the world’s first digital cockpit in such a short period of time, the achievement should be attributed to the all-out effort of and efficient collaboration among each business area and team. Inside the team, there is a saying going like this: “When each of our teams becomes unconquerable and indestructible, and is able to toast a success and remedy a failure with utmost strength, the PATEO business will be able to maintain a vigorous growth momentum at all times!” It is such a team spirit that has built PATEO into the largest telematics technology company in China, which not only possesses combined capabilities in hardware, software and the cloud platform, but is also one of the few enterprises that provide mature end-to-end service for various luxury brands, joint ventures and self-owned brands. Over the years since its founding, PATEO has created N “first” innovations in the industry: the first enterprise in the world to set foot in 3G telematics operation service, 2 years earlier than some US automaker; the first enterprise in China to start construction of 3G telematics communication platform, 2 years earlier than some German automaker; the first enterprise in China to use 4G telematics service, 3 months earlier than some US automaker; the first enterprise in the world to adopt intelligent onboard OS, 5 years earlier than some European automaker; the first enterprise in the world to apply the intelligent onboard OS that’s compliant with vehicle specs, 3 years earlier than some US automaker; the first enterprise in the world to apply OTA update, 4 years earlier than some US NEV manufacturer; the first enterprise in China to use the navigation product that actively avoids congestion, 1 year earlier than internet navigation companies; the first enterprise in the world to adopt Chinese natural speech system, 9 months earlier than some US mobile phone voice system; the first enterprise in the world to use in-vehicle natural speech system, 2 years earlier than other automakers; the first enterprise in China to establish connectivity to mobile phone, 11 months earlier than other companies; the first enterprise in the world to use the low-reflective glass, 8 months earlier than some US smart product brand; the first enterprise in China to introduce CarPlay for commercial use, 1 year earlier than other automakers; the first enterprise in China to use Android Auto (for international market), the only one of its kind so far; the first enterprise in the world to employ the de-application HMI approach, 2 years earlier than some internet automaker; the first enterprise in China to integrate broadcast music identification feature, 2 years earlier than some internet automaker! Now, this big family has again embraced the “world’s first successful application case of i.MX 8QM”.

What Exceeds Expectations Is the Times, Rather than Commerce

So far, PATEO has pioneered more than 32 major breakthroughs both at home and abroad, and accumulated 1,050 items of intellectual property. It has been focusing on the 17 core areas of connected car, and provides services for nine auto groups nationwide covering dozens of models of luxury, joint venture and self-owned brands, embracing the annual high growth rates of user scale & activeness both at 100%. At the same time, it is now not only Deputy Director of Telematics Industry Application Alliance (TIAA) and a member of China Industry Innovation Alliance for the Intelligent and Connected Vehicles (CAICV), but also Head of Connected Car Standard System Service Working Group and Deputy Head of V2X Communication Working Group under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) as well as a drafter of the Technology Roadmap for Energy Saving and New energy Vehicles as part of the 13th Five-Year Plan of MIIT.

When Intelligent Vehicle Drives into Smart City, Unprecedented Explosion Will Be Triggered

In 2016, PATEO’s “Connected Car System R&D, Industrialization and Operations Targeted at Intelligent Connectivity” Project with an overall investment of CNY 404 million was confirmed by Shanghai Municipal Government as a Major Project of Shanghai Strategic Emerging Industries (SEI). In Dec. 2017, Government of Baoshan District, Shanghai, Lingang Group and PATEO signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement, aimed to jointly build a national-level connected car industry cluster and a business model of Smart City based on a combination of autonomous driving and IoT.

This time, the world's first digital cockpit pioneered by PATEO is expected to be officially launched in 2019. Till now, another “world’s first” has been added into PATEO’s innovation portfolio, which also represents the first time in history that PATEO has achieved the world’s first breakthrough on the pre-installation hardware platform. It is thus believed that, with such a highly competent technical team, the future connected car field is bound to embrace unlimited possibilities.