Human Interface Computer (HIC) White Paper and Requirements
June 11, 2007 Santa Monica, CA: The Human Interface Computer (HIC), though non-safety critical, is an important piece of equipment of our new Kernel electric vehicle. In addition to the Vehicle Management Computer (VMC) and the motor controllers, the HIC serves as the primary visual and audio interface between the human users and the vehicle. Society for Sustainable Mobility (SSM) is seeking public advice on the implementation of the HIC device.
This machine is very similar to what’s commonly known as a “Car PC” or “Carputer”.
We need your input to move forward. Please post your comments on this White Paper at your earliest convenience.
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Sub-System Requirements
No HIC failure shall result in catastrophic failure(s) of the system or increase the workload required of the driver to maintain driving control of the vehicle.
The operating system software shall be open-source.
It should be a goal to use only open-source software, if possible.
HIC’s components shall be RoHS compliant.
Electrical
The HIC shall not require any voltage supplies other than the standard 12VDC (14.4VDC nominal) available on passenger vehicle.
The power consumption of the digital electronic components (excluding audio amplifiers) of HIC shall not exceed 60W sustained or 120W peak.
Mechanical
The HIC shall be of the standard ISO 7736 (Double-DIN) form factor.
For information only, the HIC will be mounted in the dash directly above the center console, allowing the driver and the front passenger’s access within an arm’s length.
Front Panel Accessibility and Usability
The HIC’s front panel shall feature a flat screen display with the following characteristics or better: wide-screen 16:9 aspect ratio, screen resolution of 400 pixels x 234 pixels x 24 bit colors.
The HIC’s front panel shall feature a slot-fed or otherwise front loading DVD ROM drive (or better) with backward compatibility with CDs.
The HIC’s front panel shall feature at least two (2) USB (Fast version 2.x) connections.
The HIC’s front panel shall allow manual adjustment of display brightness and also automatically adjust its display brightness based on ambient lighting conditions.
The HIC’s shall allow manual adjustment of audio volume on the front panel and also automatically adjust the volume based on ambient noise conditions.
The HIC shall automatically store all user-configurable parameters during a normal shutdown or in case of a power failure and restore them upon power up or system reset.
All user-functionality of the HIC shall be touch-screen enabled. Mechanical switches and buttons may be used to supplement the touch screen.
It should be a design goal to enable voice commands.
The HIC may optionally implement a memory card reader or a reader cluster for popular memory cards, such as SD, Memory Sticks, CompactFlash, etc.
Human Interface Functions
Entertainment
The HIC shall be capable of playing MP3 songs, MPEG movies, DVD movies, AM/FM radio.
The HIC shall support DTS and Dolby AC-3 compatible 5.1 channel sounds.
The HIC may optionally implement a TV (NTSC/HD) receiver and software to display TV (NTSC/HD) broadcast.
The HIC shall have built-in audio amplifier(s).
Navigation
The HIC may optionally implement internally or connect to an external a GPS receiver.
The HIC may optionally implement navigation software to guide its operators.
The HIC may optionally implement real-time traffic condition warning / visualization software.
Communications
The HIC may optionally implement a Bluetooth hand-free / speaker phone device.
The HIC may optionally implement a GSM/GPRS cellular phone communication device (SIM configured).
The HIC may optionally implement a Wi-Fi adapter (e.g. 802.11g), TCP/IP stack, a web browser, email and other software that utilizes the internet connection.
The HIC may optionally implement a feature to send diagnostic data back to factory (with vehicle owner’s permission) for predictive maintenance.
Diagnostics and Monitoring
The HIC shall be able to interprets real-time CAN-bus traffic and provide visual feedbacks to the users the current state of the vehicle. The list of signals to be monitored is TBD.
The HIC shall support at least two (2) CAN 2.0 interfaces.
The HIC shall be able to perform diagnostic tests on itself (built-in tests, or BIT) and to initiate diagnostic tests on the rest of the vehicle.
Diagnostic tests shall be capable of isolating faults down to dealership serviceable level.
Diagnostic tests result shall be displayed in human readable form (natural English preferred).
The HIC shall implement an internal temperature sensor and initiate shutdown of the unit when the unit has reached maximum operating temperature (as defined by the lowest rated temperature by the components).
Operational Requirements
The HIC shall be capable of operating at the temperature (TBD degree C) during vehicle operation.
The HIC shall be capable of operating at the vibration level in the vehicle (TBD).
The HIC shall have an MTBF number of at least TBD hours.
I am hoping that somebody will take the ownership of the item and develop the idea further. The interface (mechanical and electrical) should be straight forward enough for a rather independent group.
I know there are plenty of Car PCs out there - but we need to identify a cheaper solution - instead of costing $1000+, it has to be built for $300 or so…
Some people on Mp3Car.com have some homebrew double-DIN chassis with mini-ITX PC in it. Pretty cool. I think we could adapt it to fit.
Anyway, please note that the requirements are written such it is not platform-specific. So, other solutions might work as well.
Good luck.