LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2013 -- Wireless connectivity is becoming a key feature in automobiles for sharing and viewing content from smartphones and tablets to in-car systems, easy pairing of devices, navigation and replacement of expensive cables for in-car communication. To answer this need, today Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) introduced the WiLink™ 8Q family of wireless automotive connectivity solutions. With its multi-radio technology, the WiLink 8Q family reaches new levels of cross platform scalability and delivers advanced features including in-car multimedia streaming video in-parallel with Bluetooth hands-free calling and advanced audio distribution profile (A2DP) stereo sound. Additionally, with near field communications (NFC) for easy Wi-Fi and Bluetooth pairing, WiLink 8Q solutions enable an easy connection between a smartphone or tablet and the automobile, providing a seamless user experience. Read more about the WiLink 8Q family experience on the new TI Behind the Wheel blog here.

The WiLink 8Q family is designed for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™ operation. With an integrated power amplifier (PA) and complete software reuse across all family members, WiLink 8Q solutions provide a full range of products for wireless automotive infotainment including:

• Combo-connectivity system-on-chips (SoCs) with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support
  
• More integrated combo-connectivity SoCs with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy and NFC
  
• Super-combo SoCs with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, NFC, and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) support
  

"Delivering the familiar experience consumers have with smartphones and the tablets into the automobile to share information and content from drivers' and passengers' devices is driving the need for strong wireless connectivity solutions. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and GNSS have to work together seamlessly as integrated parts of the entire system," said Mattias Lange, automotive connectivity product line manager, Wireless Connectivity Solutions, TI. "The WiLink 8Q family takes our expertise in wireless connectivity and automotive applications to the next level with support of four different RF technologies on one SoC – a truly integrated approach to automotive infotainment."

WiLink 8Q family: Leveraging TI's portfolio

With the industry's most complete portfolio of wireless connectivity solutions, the WiLink 8Q family leverages TI's history of delivering high performance, scalable solutions across multiple end-equipments and includes leading Bluetooth and Wi-Fi coexistence technology. TI's second generation automotive combo connectivity offering, the WiLink 8Q family works with a variety of infotainment processors and is a perfect companion device for TI's automotive OMAP™ processors, DRA65x "Jacinto 5" and the newly announced DRA74x processor, code named "Jacinto 6." The DRA74x infotainment processors heighten performance for tomorrow's in-vehicle displays, 3D navigation and high-definition multimedia. Additionally, TI has a robust software offering for WiLink 8Q connectivity solutions that supports key automotive operating systems such as QNX, Linux and Android.

TI's wireless automotive connectivity solutions will be demonstrated at CES 2013 in the TI Village, North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Availability

Initial members of the WiLink 8Q family are expected to sample in 2Q 2013 and are expected to be in production in 1Q 2014. WiLink 8Q solutions are intended for high-volume automotive manufacturers and are not available through distributors.