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What are In-Vehicle Infotainment Systems?
An infotainment system in a car combines hardware such as sensors, telematics devices etc. with software to deliver information and recreative content to passengers and the driver. It can seamlessly connect with smartphones for a productive and safe driving experience. As one of the most prominent automotive IT solutions, it acts as a single platform for gaining access to all multimedia resources, contact and navigation tools etc. It meets the user demands by delivering functionalities such as mobility, safety, intuitiveness, entertainment on the go and connectivity over high-resolution 3D displays without compromising with the vehicle’s performance or security. The system ensures attentive driving through virtual assistants, voice-controlled media streaming, hands-free calling and more.
The market size for in vehicle infotainment solutions was valued at ₹1.21 trillion in 2025, and is expected to reach ₹2.14 trillion by 2030, surging at a CAGR of 10.4% during this forecast period. The major growth factors especially in the Indian automotive market include increasing affordability of electric vehicles, infotainment features and integration of technologies such as advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), augmented reality, internet of things (IoT), data analytics and more. Other factors that are bolstering this growth include increased collaborations between software service providers and electric vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) leading to the development of low latency and high-bandwidth solutions that are resistant to vibrations, extremely high temperatures, and can be applied across vehicles of various sizes. Let us explore further how these systems are powering the mobility era of electric vehicles and autonomous cars.
Source: Towards Automotive
Surging market size of custom car infotainment system during 2023 to 2034
Brief History of In Vehicle Infotainment Solutions
These systems have evolved from the times of radios, smartphones attached to suction cups over windshields to highly advanced coordinators multifaceted tools for vehicular parts. Given below is the evolution story of these in-vehicle infotainment components –
1900s: In the early years, car radio was introduced to provide drivers audio pleasure, converting vehicles from a mere form of transport to modes of convenience.
2000s: Basic infotainment systems within vehicles were brought into light including compact discs and digital versatile discs players, AM/FM radio as well as rudimentary navigation.
2005: Initial touchscreen interfaces were highlighted in the market for in-vehicle entertainment and navigational interactions.
2010: Smartphone integration was made possible during this year featuring Bluetooth and USB connectivity. It soon became a standard and enabled systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
2015: Voice recognition became a common feature of in vehicle infotainment solutions alongside Wi-Fi, streaming options and smartphone syncing through cloud.
2020s: High-resolution 3D maps and AR-based head-up displays are integrated as sophisticated features. AI, deep integration of ADAS continue to redefine driving experience.
Key Features of In-Vehicle Infotainment Systems
In the competitive automotive landscape, manufacturers are designing next-gen infotainment systems focusing on embedding an array of advanced features that may be heavily borrowed from the end-users’ associated technologies. As the automotive industry is moving towards the making of fully autonomous driving systems, the future of these systems is being redefined to include more and more safety features.
Given below is a gist of some of the advanced features of these systems.
Navigation
Contemporary infotainment systems showcase advanced navigation features including route optimization, audio-enabled directional guidance, real-time traffic updates, auto-searching points of interest, adding stops and more. With the help of global positioning system (GPS) technology, the vehicle’s exact location can be accurately pinpointed, thus helping drivers move across crowded cities and unknown terrains.
Entertainment
Custom infotainment system can play many media formats including compact discs, universal serial bus storage or pen drives, Bluetooth connectivity to smartphones, satellite radio, AM/FM radio, streaming services like over-the-top platform media etc. Modern systems support high-definition audio, sophisticated equalizer solution, surround sound etc.
Communication
These systems connect to the internet by using built-in SIM cards and cellular networks, with which drivers can send SMS using voice-to-text feature, surf websites and check emails. Another common feature is vehicle-to-everything (V2X) that allows them to communicate with pedestrians (V2P), vehicles (V2V), infrastructure (V2I), network (V2N). This high-speed, reliability, ultra-low latency and broad coverage connectivity uses cellular networks via 5G, 4G LTE, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) or 801.11p to enable advanced applications, improve road safety, traffic flow and the overall driving experience.
Voice Control
Drivers are now able to navigate on roads using voice recognition, command and control that make interactions with the vehicle smoother. These systems utilize natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning for spontaneous conversations such as for making calls, selecting media and changing location during navigation.
Advanced features of in-vehicle infotainment systems
Driver Distractions
Custom car infotainment systems have additional features to tackle issues related to driver distraction such as touching, selecting, watching something on the screen. Apart from voice recognition and control, these systems are designed and programmed in such a way that it leads to minimal driver distraction, for example, by automatically turning off certain features such as navigational maps or multimedia content when the vehicle is traversing through highly congested areas or traffic. Designers assure that the number of steps required to check quick updates, or performing other simpler tasks are reduced so as to avoid mistakes on the go. The system assures maximum safety level and driving attention by ensuring that the software and hardware parts work well efficiently over user-friendly interfaces through estimation of the driver’s thought process.
Ergonomic Design
Complexity of these systems goes in inverse proportion with the user interface, as more and more features are added, designers make sure that the wide range of features include navigations and media playback are easier to access. This allows better and safe driver experience through simpler interactions. They also make sure for increased accessibility that is the manner drivers, including specially abled ones utilize the system, as well as are usable that is the system works in the expected way. This may include design principles such as larger icons, clear labels for people who might experience readability issue, voice prompts etc. for people with tremors. They may also club or group certain functions together as per a sensible hierarchy for easier access, understanding during certain situations and faster functioning. Drivers must be able to reach all buttons placed or tilted ergonomically over well-lit touchscreens consistently throughout the drive route. Drivers can confirm their actions without getting distracted through feedback mechanisms such as vibrations and chimes.
Safety
Custom car infotainment systems when combined with ADAS tools such as lane departure warnings, forward collision alerts, blind spot monitoring etc. can enhance safety and the driving experience multifold. These systems act as a single point of feedback and access for all other components such as battery monitoring system, for example, as and when radars, cameras or LiDAR pick up signals of danger, they trigger alerts with live camera feed over these systems in the form of audio sounds, message display, warning lights etc. Taking an example of Audi’s cross assist feature that triggers alerts to slow down the vehicle related to upcoming cross traffic, while in case of autonomous vehicles, it automatically reduces the speed to 10 kilometers per hour. This is backed by adaptive cruise control as an ADAS feature, real-time traffic and flexible route planning.
Integration
These systems can easily integrate with different subsystems present in the vehicle to enable the digital cockpit facilitating ADAS and other components such as vehicle detection systems. This ensures regular vehicle health checks, vehicle-to-everything communication, spontaneous and natural interactions between the vehicle and driver. It allows timely maintenance through linked facilitation between components and synced driver awareness.
Reporting
Custom infotainment system also showcases vehicle health, diagnostic reports and alert the driver regarding the same through continuous monitoring of all systems over a central interface. For example, immediate warnings around low tire pressure, wearing of brakes, changes in fluid levels, engine health, information related to nearby service stations, and tending to any other questions raised by the drivers etc. They also enhance driving experience by showcasing features such as over-the-air firmware updates for swift functioning of software components. This active participation assists seamless maintenance of the vehicle and allows drivers to drive safely across any terrain.
Redefine Mobility with KritiKal
A custom infotainment system is a crucial part of modern driving as it integrates safety, entertainment, and connectivity into one system. It transforms how drivers and passengers experience travel with the evolving technology. The automotive industry can expect deeper integration, user-friendly interfaces, and enhanced features that are likely to redefine travel in the longer run. Some of the key innovations include internet-connected infotainment, virtual assistants, streaming media, high-resolution 3D displays, AR-based head-up displays, and advanced ADAS features like surround-view and more. This paper explores consumer expectations and necessary technologies. In this blog, we highlighted the growing role of these systems as the core hub of vehicle control and information where they are continuously advanced to enable into safer, smarter, and more connected driving, making the interaction between driver, car, and road increasingly seamless.
KritiKal has extensive experience in creating embedded infotainment systems, incorporating advanced features like voice-controlled safety protocols and Human-Machine Interfaces. It offers both online and offline navigation, featuring 3D/2D map rendering, destination entry, dynamic route guidance, and intelligent voice assistance. These features are delivered with personalized design architecture, flexible configuration, real-time performance analysis, memory optimization, efficient inter-process communication, module and unit testing, and systematic maintenance support, all contributing to a reduced time-to-market. Please get in touch with us at sales@kritikalsolutions.com to know more about our products and realize your automotive requirements.
Rishiraj Udayan currently works as a Senior Hardware Engineer at KritiKal Solutions. He is proficiently skilled in C++, C, Linux Kernel, Board Design, CAD etc., alongside a proven track record of delivering results and optimizing product performance. With his passion for innovation and commitment to continuous learning, he has helped KritiKal in delivering various major projects.