As part of MAMA’s ongoing #MAMAeMeet series, FCA hosted a discussion this week surrounding its all-new Uconnect 5 infotainment system that will first appear on the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. Leading the virtual meeting was Jin Palmer, FCA’s Head of Infotainment and Feature Planning, and Vince Galante, Chief Designer of User Experience for FCA.
Palmer noted FCA’s shift to the new software is driven by consumer demand. According to market research, 51 percent of consumers report that technology sways their decision when selecting a new vehicle. An even higher 64 percent are loyal to their in-vehicle tech systems and, moreover, 78 percent of shoppers choose a new vehicle based on a simple and easy-to-use infotainment system. With this in mind, FCA takes a holistic approach to stay ahead of the industry transformation curve by uniting the key elements that are important to consumers.
Backed by a new Android operating system, FCA claims Uconnect 5 is five times faster than its outgoing system and has three times the resolution when displaying on-screen graphics. The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica will be one of the first FCA vehicles to get the Uconnect 5 system; it will offer a large 10.1-inch touchscreen, which is nearly 20 percent larger than the screen it replaces.
Aesthetically speaking, everything is laid out in a logical fashion keeping in line with these four pillars:
- Aligns with a digital lifestyle
- Keeps vehicle fresh
- Improves customer care
- Allows for future tech applications
The technology features are enhanced, including:
- Familiar gestures such as swiping
- Ability to connect two phones simultaneously using Bluetooth
- Presets are not limited to bands (Sirius XM, FM and AM can coexist in the same line)
- New TomTom navigation experience adds popular features for a built-in solution with natural voice capability and Maps Over The Air (MOTA)
- Uconnect pioneers personalization with up to five user profiles plus valet mode, reestablishing vehicle preferences and settings with the touch of a button
- Exclusive and customizable home screen allows quick access to frequently used features with one-touch operation
- Uconnect expands Alexa "Home to Car" functionality to include in-vehicle Alexa virtual assistant with natural voice capability and “Car to Home” features
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration
FCA’s design challenge with its new Uconnect 5 system was for owners to have one-touch access to frequently used controls. Some additional noteworthy new features include the ability to mix and match content to build a personalized interface and the access to create up to five custom interfaces.
While the Uconnect 5 system will first debut on the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica, it will eventually roll out to Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Fiat vehicles.
The MAMA Board is planning two additional #MAMAeMeet virtual meetings for May; invitations are forthcoming.
