Safety Innovations Will Be a Focal Point at Convergence 2002

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 22 -- Convergence 2002, the premier global automotive electronics conference, held October 21-23, 2002 at Cobo Center in Detroit, will offer a glimpse of the future of automotive safety systems. A special automotive safety systems session on Tuesday, Oct. 22, (Room 03-45) will explore the future of this dynamic automotive sector, amid the changing landscape of safety standards, rules, regulations, laws and litigation.

Reiner Emig, Robert Bosch Corp, and Richard Lind of Delphi will serve as chair and vice chair, respectively, of this session. The following papers will be presented and complete abstracts are presently available for review at www.convergence2002.org :

Feasibility Study of High Speed Wheel Torque Control and its Effects on Vehicle Dynamics by Takahisa Tokoyama and Yuzo Imoto, ADVICS Co., Ltd. Reducing the Stopping Distance through Chassis System Networking by Peter E. Rieth and Thomas Eberz, Continental Teves AG Advances in Tire Pressure Monitoring Technologies and Systems by Erwin Bartz and Shawn Lammers, SmarTire Systems, Inc. A NIR Based System for Night Vision Improvement by Peter Knoll, Robert Bosch GmbH Safety Concepts in X-by-Wire Systems by Wilfried Achenbach, DaimlerChrysler Interior Sensing by Walter K. Kosiak, William Shogren and Gerald Witt, Delphi "There are many safety-related technologies and products available that are not being used because they are either too expensive or require too many product changes," said Bernard I. Robertson, senior vice president at DaimlerChrysler and chairman of Convergence 2002.

"The goal of this session is to explore what safety technologies can be used to meet future safety standards and what technologies are available that might challenge or force change in the automotive industry. Informative sessions, like this one, demonstrate our commitment to providing a detailed report card on current developments and a glimpse of plans for the future in one of the automotive industry's most complex sectors."

In addition to Robertson, who will open the conference, other automotive dignitaries scheduled to speak include: Dick Brass, vice president of Technology Development at Microsoft Corporation; Wolfgang Dehen, president & CEO, Siemens VDO Automotive AG; Dr. Wolfgang Ziebart, deputy chairman of the Executive Board Continental AG; Chris Galvin, CEO of Motorola; Thierry Morin, CEO of Valeo; Alex Lidow, CEO of International Rectifier; and Dr. Dieter Zetsche, president & CEO of Chrysler Group at DaimlerChrysler.

Convergence 2002 will also offer three panel discussions with leading-edge experts of the automotive and electronics industries:

The Blue Ribbon Panel, moderated by J.T. Battenberg III, chairman, CEO and president of Delphi Corporation, will be held on Monday, Oct. 21, in the Riverview Ballroom (W1-52) from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The Moderated Panel, moderated by Paul Hansen, publisher and editor of The Hansen Report on Automotive Electronics, will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 22, in the Riverview Ballroom (W1-52) from noon to 1:45 p.m. The Super Session, moderated by Dr. C.K. Prahalad, Harvey C. Fruehauf professor of Corporate Strategy at the University of Michigan Business School, will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 23, in the Riverview Ballroom (W1-52) beginning at 2:00 p.m. Convergence 2002 will feature more than 75 technical papers addressing important technological, societal and business issues affecting the application of electronics in the automobile. Hosted this year by DaimlerChrysler, the 2002 theme, Transportation Electronics = Business + Technology + Process, addresses three important aspects of automotive electronics -- the product, the process and the business.

Convergence 2000 drew more than 9,000 attendees and 250 media from around the world. Exhibit space for the 2002 conference has been increased by 35 percent and will feature over 180 state-of-the-art exhibits, occupying two halls at the Cobo facility.

Convergence 2002 Gold Sponsors are DaimlerChrysler, Robert Bosch Corporation, Delphi, DENSO Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Motorola, Toyota Motor Corporation, Visteon Corporation and Yazaki North America.

The Convergence Transportation Electronics Association (CTEA), which founded the conference more than 25 years ago, and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) sponsor Convergence 2002. Proceeds from the conference benefit the Convergence Education Foundation (CEF), a nonprofit organization devoted to developing a passion for mathematics and science in school-aged children.

For general conference information contact Denise ("denny") Freitag at 248-944-0975. To register on-line visit the Convergence 2002 website at www.convergence2002.org .