UAE University, IBM Team To Design Car Safety Device; Power Architecture 'Smart Box' Reduces Vehicle Accidents, Injuries

PARIS--May 6, 2004--Noting that one person is injured every two hours in a road accident in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a leading university there announced today it will work with IBM on a device aimed at reducing traffic collisions.

United Arab Emirates University, pointing to government traffic studies, said the country has seen a steady climb in the number of auto-related fatalities in the past few years. In addition to those people injured, there is one death on UAE roads approximately every 15 hours.

"These statistics are very alarming, especially when one considers that the UAE has some of the best maintained highways in the world," said Dr. Ali Alnoaimi, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, UAE University.

To help solve the problem, the university has signed an agreement with IBM's Engineering & Technology Services organization to design, develop and test what the school termed a telematics "smart box," a tool similar to the so-called black box found in aircraft, which can capture, analyze and deliver relevant data via a wireless network. The University's College of Information Technology is co-developing the smart box with IBM.

The device, using multiple microprocessors based on Power Architecture, plus a multitude of other sensors, can be attached to the automobile's carriage to, for example, monitor the vehicle's speed, comparing it to the speed limit of the street. If the car speed is higher than the speed limit allowed by the traffic department, the box would talk to the driver and issue a verbal warning. The device can also be used by police to track gross speeding violations.

"Such a device could be very effective in reducing road accidents," Dr. Alnoaimi said. Drivers, the government, parents, young people, pedestrians, all would benefit from this safety effort. The box, he added, currently is in the concept stage; the first one should be ready for a pilot in four or five months.

In the pilot, the university's College of IT will team with IBM, the country's Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training (CERT), and the local police departments within UAE. The team will define the requirements, test the box in UAE cars, and agree on what to record, what actions to take to expand the area of application, and on what languages to support since the device "talks" to the drivers.

"CERT is pleased to be engaged in this project, since it is so important for our nation and, indeed, for the entire region," said Dr. Tayeb Kamali, CERT's chief executive officer and managing director.

The box, which isn't expected to be much larger than a typical PDA, leverages a number of specific software applications, including Global Positioning System and IBM's award-winning speech software, ViaVoice, Bluetooth enablement, and open standards communication interfaces.

IBM and the university are also investigating the possibility of enabling this box to function as a doorway to value-added Web-based services for drivers and other third parties, such as insurance companies. The device has an open architecture that makes it the ideal platform for offering future "on demand" services for drivers.

IBM is among the first companies to offer leading-edge technology and tools to its clients and enable them to deliver advanced telematics solutions. The company has built a flexible and reliable portfolio of software, hardware, IT services, development platforms, innovative tools and design engineering consulting and services to meet the needs of this emerging segment.

ABOUT IBM ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

IBM Engineering & Technology Services provides clients in a variety of industries with access to engineering skills and intellectual capital, helping them design, develop, manufacture and bring to market innovative electronics products that depend on the integration of complex technology. For more information on E&TS, visit: www.ibm.com/technology. And for additional information on IBM telematic solutions, visit: www.ibm.com/industries/automotive

ABOUT UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY

UAE University is the premier national university in the UAE. The University has nine world class colleges, from Information Technology to Food Systems, serving the UAE and the region with world-class research and academic programs. UAE University is dedicated to the continued development of applied research programs that benefit the UAE community and the region.The University plays a significant role in leading cultural, social and economic development in the country. For more information on the university, visit: http://www.uaeu.ac.ae. The College of Information Technology provides seven degree programs, including computer engineering, computer science, e-commerce, information security, information systems, network engineering, and software engineering. The College has a world-class faculty engaged in cutting-edge research and development. For more information about the College, visit: http://www.cit.uaeu.ac.ae.

IBM, Power Architecture and ViaVoice are trademarks of IBM Corp.