The jazz label behind classic recordings by Miles Davis and John Coltrane is teaming up with Panasonic Automotive Systems Co. of America in Farmington Hills to develop custom audio systems for your car.
The joint venture will bring the label’s “emotion and authentic artistic appeal directly to new vehicle buyers,” Don Was, CEO of Blue Note, said in a statement this week.
The working agreement calls for the two companies to create customized audio systems as well as provide exclusive content to Panasonic’s automotive customers. The content will include a diverse selection of audio and video recordings, including behind-the-scenes content for different artists.
Considering that Panasonic maintains a Center of Excellence located in Farmington Hills, the company anticipates that there will be “considerable Blue Note-related activity in the Detroit area,” says Tom Dunn, a spokesman of Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America.
Dunn says that Blue Note-branded systems will likely be available by 2016 or 2017. The companies “are already in discussion with several key automotive customers, but the lead time development of audio infotainment systems for the auto industry is typically 18 to 24 months,” he says.
In a recently released report by information and analytics provider HIS, Panasonic remained the top supplier of automotive infotainment systems worldwide.
