ACUNIA Joins with Flemish Government and Major Auto Distributor to Build and Test a Telematics Infrastructure to Improve Traffic Management

Pilot program will include100-vehicle fleet and control center equipped with ACUNIA´s telematics technology

BRUSSELS/LEUVEN, Belgium, June 26, 2002 – Telematics technology provider ACUNIA, along with the Flemish government and D´Ieteren, Belgium´s largest automobile distributor and importer of VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini and Porsche, today announced the launch of a major on-road pilot project involving a 100-vehicle fleet to research the potential of in-vehicle telematics services to improve traffic flow and driver safety and comfort.

The project will also examine the public policy, infrastructure and financial issues involved in broad-based, real-world telematics applications.

The three partners are investing in a common telematics infrastructure and are equipping the fleet´s 100 vehicles with a built-in telematics platform. The vehicles will be operated over a period of six months in all traffic and weather conditions to determine real-world suitability and potential to improve traffic management.

Dynamic in traffic

The pilot project will involve development of a series of services to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion, while improving the safety and comfort of drivers.

The services will include:

· Off-board navigation
· Real-time traffic information
· Points of intrest (POI´s) with proximity search
· Traffic advisories of problems ahead
· Breakdown Assistance/emergency call
· Dynamic Control of Vehicle Speed
· E-mail service
· Personlized news and weather reports

To ensure user safety, these services make the maximum possible use of text-to-speech technology. Furthermore, the activation of certain services will only be possible when the engine is not running.

Next-generation telematics
The built-in telematics platform will enable the wireless connection of the test cars to the communication and control center at ACUNIA´s Belgium headquarters in Leuven. The control center will also allow the other partners -- the Flemish government and D´Ieteren -- to modify and control their services from their own application centers in Antwerp and Brussels.

Over the past few years, ACUNIA has developed extensive expertise in the field of telematics and will provide the technology for the telematics platforms and the communication and control centre which is the heart of this project.

Flemish government researches dynamic ISA

In addition, the Flemish government will examine the potential of dynamic Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA). Dynamic ISA allows the remote control of a vehicle´s speed, and the Flemish Traffic Centre will test this capability to optimize traffic speed given actual traffic conditions.

The research into dynamic ISA is to learn more about the technical aspects of remote speed control, as well as public support for the use this technology, and is being undertaken exclusively by the Flemish government.

Assessment

The pilot project and the research into dynamic ISA not only offer the opportunity to explore the application of this technology in greater depth, but also provide an understanding of its implications on a broader scale. The pilot will also explore possibilities for greater future cooperation between government and the private sector.

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Source: Material used in press releases is often supplied by external sources and used as is.