Cars have been getting online and running applications for a while now, but many of them still don't have an interface that makes the car act more like a smartphone. QNX Software Systems believes that it can introduce smartphone-like "infotainment" to a car by implementing an HTML5 framework, and it put this belief into practice with an HTML5-based operating system called QNX CAR 2, which it showed off at CES (News - Alert) 2012.

For convenience, QNX CAR 2 was designed to be easily personalized by automotive manufacturers, allowing them to develop HTML5 applications easily and cheaply for their own vehicles. CAR 2 implements support for OpenGL ES, Qt, and several other technologies that make the user interface snazzier, putting it together with other technologies developed by QNX, like Neutrino, an operating system. QNX has also developed a multimedia system and an acoustic processing library that allows the interface to remain hands-free for safe operation on the road. It is possible that all of QNX's technologies could be implemented into a vehicle through CAR 2.

Not only did QNX show this new OS off at CES 2012, but the company also featured it in a Porsche Carrera at the Blackberry presentation booth as a demonstration of the operating system's capabilities. The demonstration will show the CAR 2 platform connected through the cloud to a smartphone. Both Bluetooth and near-field communication will be used as a pairing method for the phone and CAR 2. When paired, the operating system could use QNX's ultra HD voice feature, handling phone calls with a 48 KHz sampling rate stereo configuration, hands-free.

The car's rear passenger seats sport small tablet-like devices that connect directly to the vehicle's system, allowing passengers in the back to take advantage of its features. Everyone has control over the system, allowing them access to the same media and cloud-based interaction.

Want to learn more about Managed Service Providers? Then be sure to attend MSPWorld, collocated with TMC’s ITEXPO East 2012taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. Since its inception, MSPWorld has been the only event with a single, vendor-agnostic focus of supporting Managed Service providers and their respective ecosystems. MSPWorld in Miami will delve into the most pressing channel and end-user issues that MSPs and their customers confront every day. For more information on registering for MSPWorld click here.