Microsoft Joins Automotive Industry Action Group

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April 8 -- Microsoft Corporation has joined the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), the global auto industry's largest trade organization.

Microsoft joins automotive manufacturers and product part suppliers, as well as other technology solution providers that cooperatively pursue initiatives through AIAG to benefit the automotive industry.

"We are delighted that Microsoft has joined AIAG as a sponsoring member," said Andrew J. Cummins, executive director of AIAG. "Microsoft's contributions to projects in areas such as business process automation, collaboration and electronic commerce will help AIAG and its members reduce costs and complexity within the automotive supply chain."

Microsoft currently participates in AIAG's Inventory Visibility & Interoperability (IV&I) Project. The goal of IV&I is to automate and speed the flow of goods throughout the auto industry by setting standards to facilitate vendor-managed inventory. The standard processes will help reduce costs and complexity of dealing with the numerous software systems currently used to manage inventory.

AIAG believes that the IV&I project will save $255 million alone each year in vendor-managed inventory practice throughout the automotive supply chain. The IV&I project is now in its proof-of-concept phase and uses the National Institute of Standards (NIST) test bed.

"Microsoft works closely with leading companies to develop solutions that improve business process management, reduce costs and complexities, and enable effective collaboration and communication across the manufacturing enterprise," said Kyle Solomon, industry manager, Automotive and Industrial Equipment at Microsoft. "Automotive suppliers and OEMs are not in need of more data; however they have a critical need for better access to the right information at the right time. That is why we are committed to promoting interoperability and open business standards based on Web services. We are excited to work with AIAG and its members on strategic projects to maximize efficiencies in the automotive supply chain."

Founded in 1982, AIAG is headquartered in Southfield, Mich. Its more than 1,600 member companies include North American, European and Asia-Pacific OEMs and suppliers to the automotive industry with combined annual revenue of more than $850 billion. A not-for-profit association, AIAG's primary goals are to reduce cost and complexity within the automotive supply chain and to improve speed-to-market, product quality, employee health-and-safety and the environment. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.aiag.org .