Nokia wireless charging car holder. (Credit: Nokia)CE4A working group recommended its members to use the Qi standard for inductive electrical power transfer (wireless charging) in current and future vehicle models.
CE4A (Experts from Consumer Electronics for Automotive) is a working group created by German car manufacturers (including BMW Group, Audi AG, Volkswagen AG, Porsche Automobil Holding SE and Daimler AG) promoting an active standardization of interfaces between consumer mobile devices (such as smartphones) and automotive engine control units. CE4A is organized in eight expert groups (EG), which are engaged in different areas of expertise.CE4A’s EG on standard connectors selects and defines physical and logical connectivity solutions to CE devices that can be commonly used in automobiles produced by CE4A members. Agreeing on standards is essential for the automotive industry because vehicle development times are long, they need reliable solutions, and each individual company has to avoid investing in a technology that turns out to be a dead end.
By choosing the same wireless charging technology they avoid battles over standards that don’t create value for their customers and for their own company.
This experts group studied has observed and examined the development of various wireless charging standards since 2010. The CE4A’s observations, discussions, and workshops focused on, among others, Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP), the Power Matters Alliance (PMA), and the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) with its Qi standard.
Qi (pronounced “Chee”) is an interface standard developed by the Wireless Power Consortium for inductive electrical power transfer over distances of up to 4 cm (1.6 inches). The Qi system comprises a power transmission pad and a compatible receiver in a portable device. To use the system, the mobile device is placed on top of the power transmission pad, which charges it via electromagnetic induction. Mobile device manufacturers that are working with the standard include Asus, HTC, Huawei, LG Electronics, Motorola Mobility, Nokia, Samsung, and Sony.CE4A generated requirements that must be fulfilled for use in automobiles. These relate to installation space, usage profiles, electromagnetic compatibility, and safety, for example. In addition, the standard must be ready for future requirements and offer potential for further development and commercialization as well as have global distribution and the acceptance of handset makers and wireless providers.
Based on these considerations, CE4A recommended its members to use the Qi standard in current and future vehicle models.
This announcement from the CE4A demonstrates that Qi is suitable for automotive use and that the automotive OEMs have confidence that Qi-compliant products will continue to be used for a very long time.
