Nokia makes inroads into Land Rover
Company's communications system integrates cell phone functions into Land Rover's "central infotainment display."
The product dubbed, Personal Telephone Integration, was developed specifically for Land Rover vehicles, including the Discovery 3 and Range Rover. It is slated for introduction in the United States, Europe and Asia before year's end, the companies said Wednesday.
The system is designed to let consumers access a mobile phone address book, make and receive calls, and manage text messages via the car's "central infotainment display." Voice dialing and other functions can be activated using steering wheel controls.
Connectivity can be provided either via a Bluetooth device or a wired phone holder. Customers will be able to use the system with mobile phones from different manufacturers, Nokia said.
But such efforts may run afoul of authorities, who see the use of cell phones in moving cars as a hazard. Some states have already banned the use of mobile phones--even hands-free--while driving.
"We are confident the?system we developed for Land Rover will meet with the expectations of Land Rover customers by seamlessly integrating some of today's leading-edge technologies such as voice recognition and wireless connectivity, to name but a few," Marcus Stahl, a Nokia manager of automotive products, said in a statement.