Consolidation in radios creates fragmentation

As radio head units begin handling more functions, the hardware that handles these tasks is being scattered throughout the vehicle.

The consolidation of infotainment options into centralized radio head units is driving a shift to distributed architectures. Major changes for system and chip developers alike are involved in the transition from radios with little more than a CD player into multifunction devices. On the system side, components once split into navigation or other functions are now being broken up in different fashion. This is prompting major changes for chip makers who must provide more scalability and connectivity.