Convergence 2002 Draws More Than 8,000 to Cobo

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 31 -- Convergence 2002, the world's
premier automotive electronics conference, drew 8,363 participants to the
three-day conference at Detroit's Cobo Center.
    Held October 21-23, and hosted by DaimlerChrysler, Convergence 2002 also
boasted a record 190 state-of-the-art exhibits.  In addition, 185 local,
national and international journalists from broadcast and print outlets were
on hand to cover Convergence 2002.
    Featuring 13 timely technical sessions and 74 research papers, Convergence
2002 provided the backdrop for industry leaders to participate in a global
forum that focused on the theme:  Transportation Electronics = Business +
Technology + Process, addressing three important aspects of the business side
of automotive electronics.
    At the conference-ending banquet, attended by more than 1,000 people,
Delphi Automotive received the Trevor O. Jones Outstanding Paper Award for
"Multimedia Entertainment:  Vehicle Technology & Service Business Trends" by
authors Robert Schumacher, Richard Lind, Huan Yen and Doug Welk of Delphi, as
well as Sachal Gidwani of MobileAria, Inc.  Delphi's team received a monetary
award of $10,000, which the winners donated to the Convergence Education
Foundation.
    As a result of Convergence 2002's success, approximately $700,000 of the
proceeds will be donated to the Convergence Education Foundation, an
initiative designed to increase the number of grade school students who choose
science or mathematics as a lifelong career.  Since its inception in 1994, the
CEF has awarded nearly $2 million in grants to elementary, junior high and
high schools in Michigan and Ohio.
    This conference came 28 years after the first Convergence made its debut
in 1974 which drew some 300 participants.  At that time, the only standard
electronic components on most automobiles, other than entertainment systems,
were alternators and voltage regulators.
    "This conference was a labor of love for DaimlerChrysler and we are
thrilled with both the attendee and exhibitor turnout at Convergence 2002,"
said Bernard I. Robertson, senior vice president of DaimlerChrysler and
chairman of Convergence 2002.  "Despite less than favorable economic
conditions, thousands came to hear many key industry executives explain how
strong business strategies and profitability are paramount to the future of
automotive electronics.  This kind of favorable support demonstrates the
passion and commitment of the people involved in the automotive and
electronics industries."
    Experts agree that automotive electronics will play an important role in
the future of automobiles.  In fact, recent predictions are that the value of
electronic systems could grow from an average of 30 percent of vehicle content
today, to as much as 40 percent by 2010.
    To support the growing "convergence" between the automotive and
electronics industries, Convergence 2002 boasted an impressive list of keynote
speakers from both arenas.  They included Dick Brass, Vice President of
Technology Development, Microsoft Corporation; J.T. Battenberg, Chairman and
CEO, Delphi Automotive; Wolfgang Dehen, CEO, Siemens VDO; Wolfgang Ziebart,
Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Continental AG; Christopher Galvin,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Motorola; Thierry Morin, CEO, Valeo;
Alex Lidow, CEO, International Rectifier Corporation; and Dieter Zetsche,
President and CEO, DaimlerChrysler.
    The next biennial Convergence conference will be held October 16-18, 2004
at Cobo Center and will be hosted by Ford Motor Company.
    The Convergence Transportation Electronics Association (CTEA), which
founded the conference more than 25 years ago, and the Society of Automotive
Engineers (SAE) sponsored 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.