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An automotive head unit, sometimes called the
Central to a vehicle's sound and information systems, head units are located prominently in the center of the
An automotive head unit, sometimes called the infotainment system
In-car entertainment (ICE), or in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), is a collection of hardware and software in automobiles that provides audio or video entertainment. In car entertainment originated with car audio systems that consisted of radios and ...
, is a vehicle audio component providing a unified hardware interface for the system, including screens, buttons and system controls for numerous integrated information and entertainment functions.
Other names for automotive head units include car stereo, car receiver, deck, in-dash stereo, and dash stereo.
Function
Central to a vehicle's sound and information systems, head units are located prominently in the center of the dashboard
A dashboard (also called dash, instrument panel or IP, or fascia) is a control panel (engineering), control panel set within the central console of a vehicle, boat, or cockpit of an aircraft or spacecraft. Usually located directly ahead of the ...
or console, and provide an integrated electronic package.
The head unit provides a user interface for the vehicle's information and entertainment media components: AM/FM radio, satellite radio
Satellite radio is defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)'s ITU Radio Regulations (RR) as a '' broadcasting-satellite service''. The satellite's signals are broadcast nationwide, across a much wider geographical area than te ...
, DVDs/ CDs, cassette tape
The Compact Cassette, also commonly called a cassette tape, audio cassette, or simply tape or cassette, is an analog audio, analog magnetic tape recording format for Sound recording and reproduction, audio recording and playback. Invented by L ...
s (although these are now uncommon), USB MP3, dashcams, GNSS navigation, Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is li ...
, Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...
, and sometimes vehicle systems status. Moreover, it may provide control of audio functions including volume, band, frequency, speaker balance, speaker fade, bass, treble, equalization, and so on. With the advent of dashcams, GNSS navigation, and DVDs, head units with video screens are widely available, integrating voice control and gesture recognition
Gesture recognition is an area of research and development in computer science and language technology concerned with the recognition and interpretation of human gestures. A subdiscipline of computer vision, it employs mathematical algorithms to ...
.
Size standards
An original standard head unit size is ISO 7736, developed by the Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN): Single DIN () in Europe, South America, and Australasia * A compact size that easily fits into a dashboard, but the unit is not tall enough to accommodate a video display. Double DIN () in Japan, the UK, and North America. * Doubling the height of the single DIN, a video display or touchscreen can be fitted to support manufacturer GUIs, Android Auto, Huawei HiCar and/orApple CarPlay
CarPlay and CarPlay Ultra is an Apple Inc., Apple standard that enables a car radio or automotive head unit to be a display and controller for an iOS device. It is available on iPhone 5 and later models running iOS 7.1 or later.
More than 800 ...
.
* Double DIN is also written as 2 DIN and double din.
For both single and double DIN units, ISO 10487 is the connectors standard for connecting the head unit to the car's electrical system.
Aftermarket brands
Manufacturers offer DIN headunits and standard connectors (called universal headunits), including Pioneer,Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...
, Alpine, Kenwood, Eclipse
An eclipse is an astronomical event which occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ...
, JVC, Peach Auto (Hong Kong), Boyo, Dual, Visteon, Advent
Advent is a season observed in most Christian denominations as a time of waiting and preparation for both the celebration of Jesus's birth at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Chri ...
and Blaupunkt.
See also
* Aftermarket * Android Auto * CarPlay * Huawei HiCarReferences
{{Authority control In-car entertainment Consumer electronics Dashboard head units