Borg Instruments Teams With Webraska to Provide Technology For the New Quo Vadis, Real-Time Wireless Navigation Terminal

    POISSY, France, May 15 Webraska, the worldwide provider of
wireless navigation services and technologies, has signed a contract with Borg
Instruments, a first-tier automotive supplier of electronics, to produce a
low-cost, downloadable, real-time navigation terminal that can be hand-held or
mounted in a vehicle.
    The next-generation navigation terminal, called Quo Vadis, is scheduled to
launch in September, and will provide low-cost interactive and real-time
telematic services, itinerary calculation, maps, turn-by-turn navigation,
points-of-interest access, and traffic information throughout Europe and the
United States.
    The combination of the Quo Vadis terminal and Webraska services will be
offered to both original equipment manufacturers and the automotive
aftermarket.
    Webraska will provide on-line services and content to Borg navigation
terminals, allowing dynamic navigation and optimized routing, using the most
recent traffic conditions.  Itinerary, proximity and navigation data --
prepared and computed by Webraska servers in only a few milliseconds following
user request -- are transmitted to end-users in IP format, downloaded on a
flash card, and allow users to register their preferred routes along with
guidance information.
    "Our cooperation with Borg is a demonstration of our strategy to work with
innovative Tier One suppliers and aftermarket terminal manufacturers to
develop the best-of-class navigation services that consumers can afford," said
Bruno Bourguet, general manager of Webraska's automotive division.  "We
believe that navigation will emerge from its current niche into the mass
market, if it combines the power of the wireless Internet and new affordable
terminals."
    "Borg Instruments has selected Webraska for its quality server
performance, the scalability of its services and its international content,"
said Daniel Aufaure, General Manager of Borg Instruments.  "By relying on both
Webraska's proven technology, which has been adopted by telecom operators
worldwide, and its data, compatible with all cellular telecommunications
standards and protocols, Borg Instruments is in a position to rapidly deploy
its solutions across markets and to meet the specific requirements of OEMs."
    The Borg solution will be the first product launched by Webraska
specifically targeted to the requirements of the automotive mass market and
professionals.  Webraska is pursuing its strategy of working with its partners
to develop a full product and service range dedicated to turn-by-turn, real-
time, wireless navigation for these markets.  Currently covering 13 countries
in Europe and North America (mapping, POIs, traffic information), Webraska's
automotive product range will further expand from wireless in-vehicle systems
with color mapping, routing and voice instructions, to low-cost wireless
personal navigation terminals such as PDAs.  These systems are expected to be
launched in Autumn 2001.

    About Borg
    Borg Instruments is the European leader in the development and manufacture
of innovative automotive electronics (instrument clusters, multifunction
modules, Man-Machine-Interface, navigation, etc.).  After 30 years' experience
in automotive electronics, Borg Instruments has developed the first low-cost
automotive navigation and telematics system (Quo Vadis 2000) using a new
flashcard approach.
    The basic system enables all navigation features (including speech
synthesis) within the automotive environment.  With a suitable interface the
Quo Vadis 2000 becomes the first telematics automotive terminal connected to
the external world (WAP, Internet, etc.).
    Borg Instruments technology is used by all major worldwide car
manufacturers, such as Ford, GM, Fiat, BMW, Daimler, Renault, and Peugeot.
    The company is located in Karlsruhe, Germany and has offices in Paris,
Turin, San Jose, and Detroit.  For more information visit: http://www.borg.de

    About Webraska
    Webraska offers innovative technology and services to professionals in the
automotive and transportation industries.  Now car manufacturers, equipment
suppliers, telematics, and mobile operators can rapidly launch and flexibly
upgrade applications and services for real-time, turn-by-turn personal
navigation and fleet management.
    The Webraska patented technology called IbDN(R) (Internet-based
Distributed Navigation) enables vehicles to provide real-time and optimized
turn-by-turn navigation services using mapping and content data provided by
the delocalized Webraska Global Navigation Server (GNS).  This server uses
powerful algorithms to tightly compress data prepared and sent to the user
terminal, allowing fast response time and low communication cost.
    Turning mobile devices into worldwide personal navigation systems, along
with Webraska's Personal Navigation Suite(TM) of valued-added services, helps
solve mobile user needs everyday.  Webraska technologies increase revenues and
brand recognition for leading service providers around the world, including
SFR, TIM, Vizzavi, KPN, Belgacom, Airtel, Orange, ADAC, VoiceStream and M1.
Webraska's technology is already used by industry leaders, including PSA,
Sagem, Wireless Car, IBM, Nortel, Oracle, Openwave, Alcatel, SignalSoft,
Cellpoint, CT Motion, and Acunia.
    The company is headquartered in Poissy, France and has offices in London,
Brussels, Madrid, Amsterdam, Milan, Stockholm, Tokyo, Singapore, Melbourne,
Montreal, and Detroit.
    Webraska and Borg Instruments will exhibit and demonstrate their
automotive technology and services at Eye For Auto in Detroit (15-16 May 2001)
at the Auto Interiors Electronic Pavilion (Booth 344).

                    MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT -  Click Here
               http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X35412811