Bluetooth has become ubiquitous in the mobile phone market. In addition to using hands-free kits, consumers are also beginning to see the potential of Bluetooth for streaming music.
Almost every new car and many high-end PNDs now offer hands-free functionality and numerous vehicle manufacturers including VW, Mercedes, Nissan and Toyota are beginning to support Bluetooth audio streaming as well.
Besides voice calls and music, a major untapped potential of Bluetooth in the car is in providing connected services by using the mobile phone as a modem. To date, only a small number of systems in the market, such as those from BMW and Mio, make any use of Bluetooth for providing data-based services. However SBD expects this situation to change dramatically in the next 2 to 3 years.
Whilst implementing a Bluetooth solution can be cost effective, the complexities surrounding Bluetooth profiles introduce certain challenges. Until now, the DUN (Dial-Up Networking) profile has been used to allow devices to connect to the internet via a mobile phone – a process known as tethering. However, some mobile network operators impose higher charges for tethering, whilst some phones do not support the DUN profile at all.
An alternative to DUN that is growing in importance is PAN (Personal Area Networking) and this is being pushed by Microsoft via its Windows Mobile platform. Yet another solution for implementing connected services is to use an In-Band Modem (IBM), which makes use of data-over-voice technology and a phone using HFP (Hands-Free Profile). However, IBM is only suited for transferring small amounts of data and is not ideal for data-rich services.
Bluetooth has always presented a challenge to vehicle manufacturers, particularly in terms of interoperability and compatibility. These issues have finally been resolved for simple voice calls, but there is a growing danger that they will be repeated again for telematics applications.
Browse SBD's research on connectivity
For information about SBD’s reports into the practical application of Bluetooth in the car, please contact Juanita Appleby on jappleby@sbd.co.uk or +44 (0)1908 305101.