At Harman Explore 2026, four production-ready innovations were showcased to improve OEMs’ in-vehicle experiences. These include personalised audio technologies for individualised and adaptive listening, advanced display and windshield solutions to create clutter-free and safer cockpits, software-defined vehicle execution tools to improve speed, safety, and lifecycle integration, and enhanced Ready Care and Ready Aware safety systems that provide comprehensive in-cabin and out-of-vehicle awareness.
In This Article
Ready Display
The Ready display, which is the first HDR10+ automotive-certified panel, provides spectacular visuals and energy efficiency, as demonstrated by the Ready Display NQ1, which has a wider colour gamut and better readability than regular LCDs. This technology is already used in production cars such as the Tata Motors Harrier EV.
For drivers, the Ready Vision QVUE system puts critical information directly in their line of sight, converting the windshield into a bright, high-contrast display that adapts based on context to ensure clarity and safety. Recent software upgrades have enhanced functionality with features like gaze recognition and object-obstruction alerts, resulting in a safer driving experience. The system also incorporates unique features such as eMirror Live View and a video playback option for parked cars, which are complemented by image-quality improvements.
The Ready Vision AR HUD extends visual intelligence with augmented reality, offering production-proven solutions to the European market. This system is intended for clarity in a variety of lighting settings, utilising advanced optical and thermal technologies, while the streamlined AR framework enables easy customisation by OEMs. New features, like combining data from different sensors to enhance driving performance and safety, show how the AR HUD can make driving safer and more enjoyable.
SDV execution
Harman has also released upgrades to its SDV execution stack, which combines developer tools, mixed-criticality isolation, and fleet-scale deployment solutions. These innovations seek to accelerate development, provide secure validation, and offer continuous updates throughout a vehicle’s lifespan. The improvements focus on three main goals for OEMs: better development and validation with Ready CQuence Loop, secure mixed-criticality using Ready CQuence Run, and easier deployment and monetisation through OTA/Smart Delta and Ready Link Marketplace.
The Ready CQuence Loop is a cloud-native development and testing toolchain that supports continuous software development, testing, and validation in both virtual and physical settings. It enables early-stage large-scale testing, reduces reliance on limited testing platforms, and supports various software stacks, including Android and Linux.
For mixed-criticality consolidation, Harman presents Ready CQuence Run, the only automotive Type-1 hypervisor intended to safely isolate critical and non-critical workloads. This solution promotes safe cross-domain innovation by keeping safety-critical functionality distinct from constantly developing software, and it supports over 20 million ECUs, giving OEMs confidence.
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On the deployment front, HARMAN’s OTA and Smart Delta technologies provide effective and secure lifecycle upgrades in over 80 million cars. The Ready Link Marketplace enables OEMs to turn vehicles into continually upgradeable digital platforms, providing a variety of monetisable apps and services. Recent improvements seek to increase consumer engagement and enable regulated real-world testing.
Together, these solutions—Ready CQuence Loop, Ready CQuence Run, OTA/Smart Delta, and Ready Link Marketplace—give OEMs a strong system to quickly offer unique vehicle experiences and keep making improvements after launch without putting too much pressure
New safety capabilities
To fulfil NCAP standards, the company has added additional safety features to its Ready Care and Ready Aware products, including improved in-cabin monitoring and awareness. These improvements use ready-to-use software, flexible networking, and strong hardware to create smart safety solutions that work well now and can adapt to future connected vehicles.
Ready Care seeks to enhance in-cabin intelligence by using advanced driver monitoring and taking actions to help manage driver stress and emotions, which helps improve safety, comfort, and overall well-being. Notable improvements include single-heartbeat detection for exact vital-sign assessment and better occupant-position monitoring for safer airbag activation, which provides a complete status of passengers’ state and posture within the cabin.
Ready Aware, on the other hand, goes beyond the vehicle, providing timely notifications to assist drivers in anticipating potential road risks and navigating difficult driving circumstances. It uses existing connectivity features (4G/5G) via a vehicle-to-network (V2N) architecture, eliminating the need for additional hardware. The new Confidence Engine, based on Machine Learning (ML), enhances alert accuracy, minimises false alarms, reduces driver attention, and displays only relevant information.
Together, Ready Care and Ready Aware enhance OEMs’ safety and driver-assistance frameworks, aligning with NCAP-centric feature roadmaps and ensuring practical and scalable implementation. They provide drivers with greater views of cabin occupants and outdoor situations, encouraging safer driving practices.
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Ready Connect, HARMAN’s telematics control modules, supports these advancements by ensuring reliable connectivity within the vehicle. Ready Connect offers the essential infrastructure required for real-time situational awareness beyond the car and improves apps like Ready Aware, which give immediate safety information. Ready Connect demonstrates HARMAN’s ability to provide scalable connectivity that enables intelligent safety solutions across geographies and vehicle platforms by supporting a variety of communication modalities, including short-range, long-range, and satellite.
A new set of production-ready personalisation technologies
Harman has introduced new personalisation technologies designed to improve the automotive audio experience. These solutions include personalised and shared listening capabilities, adaptive sound design, and branded audio atmospheres, allowing OEMs to build responsive and expressive cabin environments. The Ready Stream Share technology enables a wireless audio connection between several personal devices and HARMAN’s low-latency headphones, allowing passengers to interact with shared content or hold conversations without having to remove their headphones. The accompanying mobile app increases individual control while coordinating shared experiences.
As hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) gain popularity, audio plays an increasingly important role in creating vehicle experiences, providing an opportunity for OEMs to produce sound that reflects their brand identity. The HALOsonic Electronic Sound Synthesis (ESS) technology goes beyond simply simulating engine sounds, allowing manufacturers to develop personalised acoustic signatures that improve emotional connection with the car. New sound capabilities, such as wave terrain synthesis, enable sound professionals to create distinctive sounds, while a sound adjustment function allows drivers to tailor aural input to their tastes.
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Furthermore, Harman Branded Audio Experience Packages transform premium audio in automobiles by combining sound, lighting, and cabin surroundings into a unified brand statement. These packages use powerful AI to optimise audio settings based on musical genres, and drivers may customise their tactile bass experiences. Together, HALOsonic and the branded audio packages add a significant emotional depth to car interiors, resulting in an immersive auditory experience.
