Visteon, a global automotive supplier, today revealed its plans to launch an in-vehicle wireless charging system sometime in 2013. The company will get the help of a major vehicle manufacturer and will become one of the first automotive suppliers to bring wireless charging into a vehicle.
Similar to Palm’s Touchstone charger, Visteon technology eliminates the need for dedicated power cords for each portable device in the vehicle. Visteon believes this kind of technology is on the rise because consumers are demanding it more — I happen to agree.
“Demand for this technology is rising sharply, and we see a tremendous opportunity for wireless power in the automotive market,” said Albert Faraj, Visteon’s global director, electronics sales and strategy. “We’re looking forward to our first high-volume production program using this technology, and we’re committed to integrating new wireless charging-enabled devices in vehicles as the market expands.”
The way this wireless charging technology works is it allows users to place their device on Visteon’s charger, while power is transferred wirelessly to the portable device, at a rate comparable to a plug-in power cord. The wireless charger also contains intelligence that can determine if an object is in close proximity to the charger, and whether the object can be charged.