2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track: Telematics And Infotainment

By Anh T. Huynh
published

Hyundai takes a shot at creating a rear-wheel-drive sports car, complete with navigation, infotainment, and telematics. We spent a week with the 2013 Genesis Coupe to gauge whether its technology package lives up to its improved 348 hp Lambda V6 engine.

The Infotainment System

Hyundai sources the 2013 Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track's infotainment system from its sister company, Mobis, formerly known as Hyundai Autonet. As mentioned, this is a completely different component than the Blue Link module.

Texas Instruments' OMAP3530 system-on-chip sits at the heart of Hyundai's infotainment system. This SoC bears family resemblance to the OMAP3430 in Motorola's first-gen Droid. It features a single ARM Cortex-A8 core based on the ARMv7 instruction set, capable of delivering enough performance to drive the system's features. As it sits in the Genesis Coupe 3.8, the OMAP3530 operates at 600 MHz. That's safely below the 720 MHz maximum clock rate specified by Texas Instruments. Unfortunately, there is no way to easily overclock the infotainment system to cut route computation time or improve responsiveness.

Also built in to Texas Instruments SoC is the company's IVA 2+ advanced imaging, video, and audio engine, which handles most of the user interface's video and imaging tasks in hardware. The IVA 2+ engine contains TI's TMS320C64x+ DSP core for MPEG-4, H.264, and VC-1 decode acceleration, though Hyundai's system doesn't expose that functionality.

Another component of the OMAP3530 is a 3D graphics engine supplied by Imagination Technologies. Its PowerVR SGX530 is both potent and feature-rich, including Shader Model 4.1 support. PowerVR SGX5xx-series GPUs are also found on a number of mobile devices in single- and multi-core trim, such as the Galaxy Nexus, Apple iPhone 4, the 4S, iPads, the iPod Touch, Apple TV, and BlackBerry's PlayBook. Sadly, there is no Angry Birds port for the Genesis Coupe.

Perhaps you're wondering why an in-car infotainment system requires 3D graphics hardware powerful enough to play Duke Nukem 3D. The answer is that infotainment system's navigation component employs 3D to process and render map data, delivering smooth turn-by-turn guidance and fluid zooming.

As mentioned, the QNX Neutrino RTOS ties all of the hardware together, and is skinned to match Hyundai’s white and blue interior lighting scheme.

Anh T. Huynh
24 Comments Comment from the forums
  • shahrooz
    waiting for the Crysis guy
    Reply
  • Nintendo Maniac 64
    I thought at first the car in the thumbnail was a Tesla Model S... I mean, it IS essentially a computer (runs Linux on dual Tegra 3s and all).

    Now THAT'S something Tom's should review. :P
    Reply
  • assasin32
    My stereo which is primitive by comparison has a far faster "boot up" time than any of these "infotainment" systems these cars have. It starts when I turn on the car there is mabey a 1sec delay and another 1sec if I decide to put in a cd as it has to start spinning it.

    And if you want the fancy features I still think an AUX connection from the stereo to the phone is the best bet. If its a smartphone you have the internet/mp3/pandora/gps and if you want an OBD2 scanner like Torque in case your car breaks down. And people usually upgrade these things once every few years and there will be no compatability issues using an AUX connection.
    Reply
  • stellato12
    .....but can it play Crysis?
    Reply
  • cknobman
    Waiting for an STI version of the Subaru BRX or TRD version of the Scion FR-S. From most reviews I have read the Hyundai handles like a pig on the track and those Brembo brakes have issues after a few laps.
    Reply
  • tuanies
    9537403 said:
    I thought at first the car in the thumbnail was a Tesla Model S... I mean, it IS essentially a computer (runs Linux on dual Tegra 3s and all).

    Now THAT'S something Tom's should review. :P

    We're trying to get one in for a week but considering how well they're selling it'll be a while.


    9537406 said:
    My stereo which is primitive by comparison has a far faster "boot up" time than any of these "infotainment" systems these cars have. It starts when I turn on the car there is mabey a 1sec delay and another 1sec if I decide to put in a cd as it has to start spinning it.

    And if you want the fancy features I still think an AUX connection from the stereo to the phone is the best bet. If its a smartphone you have the internet/mp3/pandora/gps and if you want an OBD2 scanner like Torque in case your car breaks down. And people usually upgrade these things once every few years and there will be no compatability issues using an AUX connection.

    They still have aux inputs. However, I have an article idea that'll appeal to smartphone users such as yourself - just waiting for the Windows Phone 8 launch to commence ;) I'm open to any ideas you want to see covered though.

    9537418 said:
    .....but can it play Crysis?

    No but if you want to port Angry Birds or Duke Nukem 3D to QNX and find a way to get them loaded onto the infotainment system, go for it :p

    9537421 said:
    Waiting for an STI version of the Subaru BRX or TRD version of the Scion FR-S. From most reviews I have read the Hyundai handles like a pig on the track and those Brembo brakes have issues after a few laps.

    You and i both. The Hyundai is a fun daily, but that extra weight doesn't help it around a track.

    Reply
  • What is this on Tom's again....?
    Reply
  • travish82
    348 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque... WTF? I feel like I've been living under a rock. I guess this is what happens when you only buy used cars with cash. Suddenly Hyundias are freaking fast.
    Reply
  • xsamitt
    I come here for Commuters not cars.This site has really lost it.
    Reply
  • xsamitt
    Make that computers lol.
    Reply