Mobile working is the way forward - when business executives purchase an Audi A8, he or she can from now on select an exclusive new option: the Multifunctional Communication Unit or MFCU. These four letters represent the latest technology of mobile working for busy executives. By means of an in-vehicle communications system, the MFCU truly offers a 'virtual desk' for ongoing, mobile productivity.

A dedicated workspace, anywhere, anytime
For many business people, mobile work literally means working whilst traveling. In the past, the gathering of information was the biggest challenge. Today, and in the future productivity is all about efficiently managing the information flow and continuously staying abreast of the latest changes.

The laptop, PDA and mobile phone have become essential tools for business people, yet this variety makes mobile working highly complex. Companies want to provide their executives with immediate, mobile access to the internet and mail via their intranet. This will secure managers from missing out on important personal information such as emails, appointments or contacts.

The ultimate on-the-go business productivity solution has now become available; it is an extremely compact, built-in mobile desk, introduced by Quattro Ltd. (a fully owned AUDI AG company).The MFCU option is only available in Audi's top model A8 and targets professionals who highly appreciate a combination of practicality and luxury. A business man enroute to the airport, who wishes to quickly log on to his personal email account, can now do so in a luxurious and stylishly designed environment.

An exclusive mobile office
The underlying technique supporting this comfortable way of working, is the MFCU's multifunctional communication system, facilitating all current office-communication functionalities in a car. The MFCU unit allows mobile faxing, scanning, printing and copying; making use of a hands free, built-in telephone set. The Internet can be easily accessed via an integrated GPRS-compliant modem. The Pentax PocketJet 200 printing system has been selected as standard printer for this MFCU.

Pioneering collaboration
EPSa, a Thüringen (Saalfeld, Germany) based company played a major role in the development and coordination of the project which involved various car manufacturers. To build this mobile communication unit, Quattro Ltd. contacted EPSa because of the company's long term experience in the development and production of telematic systems for the automotive industry.

Several car manufacturers collaborated towards one common goal: creating a mobile office. BMW, VW and AMG (a division of Daimler Chrysler AG), all industry leaders, wrote history by actually joining forces and sharing one common interest. This proved to be the only way forward towards success. Their cooperation was essential for the development and realization of the mobile office concept. All stakeholders were manufacturers, eager to offer their demanding customer base a luxurious and leading edge solution. Yet, only one model would be selected for the integration of the mobile office system.

The specifications for an in-vehicle mobile communication unit in various high-end cars were the result of a close collaboration. The system was developed and tested with the extensive help of the participating car manufacturers. Finally, the MFCU was ready for batch production.

The print and scan modules are important components in the MFCU communication system. The Pentax PocketJet 200 and the Pentax DS Mobile Scanner were the best selection for meeting the MFCUs operating requirements. EPSa, Pentax and the car manufacturers worked closely together, allowing for Pentax to make the appropriate adaptations.

Pentax PocketJet 200 and DS Mobile: tailor-made
The Pentax PocketJet 200 printing unit has many advantages. Not only is it impervious to temperature fluctuations, it is merely 25,5 cm (9.8 inches) long and very light. Equally decisive in the selection process, was the Pentax PocketJet's thermal-direct printing process, which eliminates the need to change cartridges in the car. Thanks to its rugged construction, the module withstands both temperature fluctuations, and the jolting motion of the vehicle. The quality in printing (200 dpi) and scanning (300 dpi) are very satisfactory. Herr Dr. Simon, Managing Director of EPSa GmbH, concludes: "We did not find any other comparable product on the market suitable to create a tool such as the MFCU."

MFCU in practice
The various car manufacturers mounted the MFCU using a vehicle specific configuration. The software and technology of every MFCU are identical. The specific look and feel of each car manufacturer however makes for variations in mounting location, color display, insulation, logo, etc. Hence, the units have to meet the specific technological configurations of both manufacturer and vehicle. In practice, the MFCU components are transported to the manufacturer's assembly facility, where they are personalized according to make and model. Here again, the restricted dimensions of the Pentax PocketJet 200 offer an advantage, allowing easy mounting in a variety of different designs.

Since only top models are being equipped with the MFCU, the design is striking and elegant. Quattro has been extremely attentive in meeting users' high expectations. Luxurious materials such as leather and varnished wood have been used for the interior design and customers are pampered with a variety of extra options.

At the beginning of the year, the first vehicles of the various manufacturers were equipped with the MFCU system. Apart from deployment in passenger cars, there is also a strong potential for the installation of MFCUs in commercial delivery vehicles. This is a market that EPSa will be pursuing. The future of the MFCU looks very bright - there are plans to extend the operating range by using state-of-the-art communication technologies. The MFCU technology takes mobile work to a new level, and offers fascinating possibilities for the future.