15.07.2004 Fiat Auto and Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit have joined forces for a long-term strategic automotive partnership developing innovative telematics solutions for motorists
Fiat
Auto and Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit have joined forces for a long-term
strategic automotive partnership developing innovative telematics solutions for
motorists.
Fiat Auto and Microsoft's novel approach of designing in-vehicle telematics
systems combines Fiat Auto's experience and research in telematics services as
well as Microsoft's expertise in providing standard platforms, services, and
applications.
The objective of the partnership is to design telematics systems which will
provide drivers with a solution to communicate effectively with the outside
world.
The telematics systems will be flexible, easy to access and use. Therefore, they
will allow users' own devices such as cellular phones, Pocket PC or Windows
Mobile devices to integrate with the vehicle. Motorists will be able to use
standard information services, including web services, and a hands-free phone.
Bluetooth connectivity ensures that drivers' personal address book and contacts
will be easily accessible in the car as well as digital music through a USB
connection.
This is available through high-quality voice activation. In addition, drivers
will also have access to a wealth of services, including off board navigation
and real-time traffic information such as those offered by bConnect.
The joint Fiat Auto-Microsoft system will be based on standard hardware and
Windows Automotive, which enables Fiat Auto to implement a software design that
can be customized and upgraded, according to customers' preferences. Both
companies plan to develop a system that inter-operates with the vehicle
Controller Area Network (CAN) of the vehicles for diagnostic data.
Magneti Marelli, Fiat Group automotive components' arm, will contribute to the
venture by building the hardware on which the systems are integrated. The device
from Magneti Marelli will be based on a reference design developed by Microsoft
and Fiat Auto.
"Fiat Auto is at the forefront of telematics, having been amongst the first
carmakers to feature a wide range of devices in all its vehicles. We are very
pleased to have Microsoft, a great innovator in the software industry and a
leading expert in designing flexible platforms, as a partner in a unique
business model based on recreating, on board, the computer world and structure",
says Walter Mortara, Senior Vice President, Product and Process Engineering of
Fiat Auto.
"Fiat Auto has consistently developed cars that have been affordable, practical
and have greatly contributed to the motorization of entire countries. We are
very excited in teaming up with Fiat Auto as we can bring industry-leading, yet
practical telematics solutions, to motorists", comments Pieter Knook, Senior
Vice President of the Mobile and Embedded Devices Division of Microsoft
Corporation.
"By combining Fiat's knowledge of the auto industry with our knowledge of
software, together we will be able to meet the needs of drivers and passengers
for an enjoyable and safer in-car experience."
Fiat Auto
One of the pioneer companies in the automobile industry, Fiat has produced more
than 85 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, including no less
than 400 models, since 1899, when the company was founded in Turin, Italy. Some
of them have represented milestones in the automotive industry.
Fiat Auto operates world-wide with the following brands: Fiat, celebrated for
value, economy, and innovation and whose mass produced cars are distributed over
almost the entire price class spectrum; Lancia (acquired in 1969) means prestige
cars noted for their elegant styling, and comfort; Alfa Romeo (acquired in 1986)
is famous as a maker of sport and luxury vehicles of style and distinction.
bCONNECT
bCONNECT Is a Fiat Auto company set in 2001 to offer pan-European infomobility
services for Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo customers. At any time bCONNECT
responds to communication and information needs of the drivers, through
telematics systems on board of the vehicles, mobile phones and internet access.
Magneti Marelli
Magneti Marelli, a Fiat Group company, is an international leader in the design
and production of high-tech components and systems for the automotive industry
based in Italy. Founded in 1919, the company has industrial and R&D facilities
in Argentina, Brazil, the Czech Republic, China, France, Germany, Great Britain,
Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, and the US.
Magneti Marelli supplies the world's major car manufacturers such as Renault,
Citroën, Peugeot, Fiat Group, Ford, Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, BMW, Rover,
DaimlerChrysler, GM-Opel, Volvo, Saab, Nissan, Toyota, and Daewoo.
Windows Automotive
Microsoft has invested eight years in providing the automotive industry with
great software that delivers information, entertainment, communication, and
services in vehicles.
The company works very closely with automakers, automotive electronics
manufacturers and consumers to provide the embedded automotive market with the
systems and tools for building the next generation of intelligent, Windows
powered devices that demand rich applications and Internet services for a wide
range of flexible solutions.
Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software,
services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The
company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people
through great software - any time, any place and on any device.