Centerpiece of the car's sound and information system
A 90s Volvo double DIN head unit with CD and Compact CassetteA Renault single DIN head unit which pairs with a separate screenA double DIN head unit with a large touchscreen, DVD, 1seg and GPS
Anautomotive head unit, sometimes called the infotainment system,[1] is a vehicle audio component providing a unified hardware interface for the system, including screens, buttons and system controls for numerous integrated information and entertainment functions.
Other names for automotive head units include car stereo, car receiver, deck, in-dash stereo, and dash stereo.
Function
[edit]A single DIN head unit with a large retractable touchscreen, DVD and GPS
Central to a vehicle's sound and information systems, head units are located prominently in the center of the dashboard or console, and provide an integrated electronic package.
The head unit provides a user interface for the vehicle's information and entertainment media components: AM/FM radio, satellite radio, DVDs/CDs, cassette tapes (although these are now uncommon), USB MP3, dashcams, GPS navigation, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and sometimes vehicle systems status. Moreover, it may provide control of audio functions including volume, band, frequency, speaker balance, speaker fade, bass, treble, equalization, and so on.[2] With the advent of dashcams, GPS navigation, and DVDs, head units with video screens are widely available, integrating voice control and gesture recognition.
