Harman International will start production of infotainment systems for Mercedes-Benz S-Class this month, says a company press release. “We have a long-standing relationship with Mercedes-Benz for both Infotainment and car audio with our Harman Kardon brand. We are very excited to introduce our next generation system with exceptional connectivity and upgraded navigation to Mercedes drivers worldwide,” said Michael Mauser, Harman’s Executive Vice-President and Co-President of the Infotainment and Lifestyle Divisions. Additionally, the company will supply infotainment systems for the C-Class vehicles at the beginning of 2014.
Significance: Harman is strengthening its position in the infotainment systems segment. In November 2012, the company initiated deliveries of its infotainment systems to Audi. The supplier is manufacturing the systems at its German facility in Straubing. Harman already has two other infotainment contracts with the automaker. In January this year, Harman showcased the US launch of its infotainment system for BMW at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The company’s infotainment unit, demonstrated on a BMW 3-series vehicle at the show, is part of BMW’s ConnectedDrive in-car entertainment and navigation system. The unit, based on an upgradable software architecture, allows seamless integration with the automaker’s infotainment system to deliver wireless connectivity and better navigation.
