Show highlights role of standards in ICT for motor vehicles.

Press Release Summary:



With 26 speakers and over 100 participants, The Fully Networked Car show brought awareness to standards behind networked cars and their benefits with regard to issues of climate change and sustainability of environment. Presenters used series of panel discussions to demonstrate how car communications, traffic monitoring, highway safety, parking logistics, and GHG emission reductions can all be facilitated through use of information and communication technologies standards.



Original Press Release:



Fully Networked Car Show Highlights Role of Standards in ICT for Motor Vehicles



Standards for information and communication technologies (ICT) in motor vehicles were put in the spotlight at The Fully Networked Car, a workshop held March 4-5, 2009, at the Geneva International Road Show. The fourth annual event was organized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
With 26 speakers and over 100 participants, the workshop brought increased awareness to the standards behind networked cars and their benefits with regard to issues of climate change and sustainability of the environment. Through a series of five panel discussions, presenters demonstrated how car communications, traffic monitoring, highway safety, parking logistics, GHG emission reductions, and other related topics can all be facilitated through the use of ICT standards.

During the first panel session, presenters identified four "automotive megatrends" currently driving the industry: going green, safety, the affordable vehicle, and connectivity/infotainment. ICT standards already have a role to play in each of these areas, but proprietary technologies continue to increase costs and inhibit interoperability. "Seamless standards," as defined by Jack Sheldon, IEC standardization strategy manager, will benefit governments, manufacturers, and drivers alike.

Building upon the "going green" megatrend, the benefits and feasibility of widespread usage of electric cars were principal topics of discussion throughout the two-day workshop. The Lightning GT Car, a high-performance prototype electric vehicle, was on display to underscore the industry's increasing level of environmental awareness. With over 53,000 all-electric vehicles traveling U.S. roads today, standards for an electric vehicle charging infrastructure are needed to address issues such as location, connectors, communication interfaces, and geometry/capacity.

Another megatrend, "connectivity/infotainment," was addressed in part by the .car approach, which details communications between cars and the Internet. This system could lead to improved driver and passenger safety, as well as reduced maintenance costs. According to the presenter, Arnaud de Meulemeester of ATX Europe GmbH, standards and existing internet protocols would be used to assure widespread interoperability of these systems, and a harmonization committee consisting of 14 organizations is currently being formed to work on these needed standards.

Additional topics addressed at the workshop included safety and security, and voice and audiovisual services. A number of areas for new standards work were identified, including automobile communication networks, smart grids, intrusion detection, and secure vehicle communication systems.

For more information, see the workshop report and presentations from the workshop. Next year's event will be held March 3-4, 2010, in Geneva.

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