MANILA: Ferrari and automotive electronics technology company Harman have established a multi-year, multifaceted partnership in order to bring the next generation of in-cabin experiences to market today.

Ferrari will use Harman Ready Upgrade hardware and software to quickly and inexpensively provide fully upgradable consumer electronics-level experiences into the interior of its entire vehicle lineup. The partnership also extends to motorsports, as starting with the 2023 Formula 1 season, Harman Automotive will serve as Scuderia Ferrari's exclusive In-Cabin Experience Team partner.

“Our partnership brings together two brands celebrated for excellence and for pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation. We look forward to working with Harman to extend our in-cabin experience advantage and deliver to our customers a drive like no other,” Ferrari Chief Executive Officer Benedetto Vigna stated.

The partnership with Ferrari is the latest milestone in Harman Automotive's mission to become the leading provider of best-in-class in-cabin experiences in the automotive electronics industry. This evolution was recently accelerated by the introduction of six new road-ready products at Harman Explore at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023. These products provide specific benefits for vehicle safety, wellbeing, entertainment, and connectivity. One of these products, Harman Ready Upgrade, is a suite of products that allows customers to easily upgrade their own vehicle experiences while also significantly reducing the time to market and cost for automakers. Ready Upgrade turns the car into a modern electronic device in the same way that a smartphone can be updated and personalized at any moment with new features and services. Ready Upgrade accelerates the development of Ferrari's distinct in-cabin experience by adapting to their vehicle networks and fine-tuning performance without requiring them to make significant software development efforts.

“Harman Automotive and Ferrari share an expertise, tenacity and innovation mindset tailor-made for activating a new era of driving,” Harman Automotive President Christian Sobottka said. “I have no doubt this combination will deliver experiences that will excite consumers and bring our value proposition of ‘Consumer Experiences. Automotive Grade.’ to life – on the track and on the road.”

Photo from Harman

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