STAR and AutoDESA Partner Together on Automotive XML Standards Development

MCLEAN, Va., Oct. 25, 2004 -- STAR (Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail), the IT standards body for the North American retail automotive industry, and AutoDESA (Automotive Data Exchange Standards Australia), the IT standards body for the Australian retail automotive industry have agreed to cooperate together on joint standards development projects.

STAR and AutoDESA have signed a Memo of Understanding (MOU) that enables both organizations to exchange memberships, participate in standards development projects, and share technical documentation and specifications.

While STAR has primarily focused its standards development activity in the United States, this partnership helps spread STAR standards around the globe to the Asia Pacific region. The only other non-US member is Renault, based in France.

"Joining forces with AutoDESA is an excellent idea," says Tom Campisi, STAR communications chair. "Our organizations can collaborate together on standards development and reuse each other's intellectual capital."

The focus of AutoDESA is to promote the use of global data interchange standards within the Australian automotive retail value chain. Wherever possible, AutoDESA will utilize existing STAR standards. Any unique Australian requirements will be communicated back to the STAR organization for consideration in future releases.

"At a time of rapid change in the use of technology, it is essential to use every technique available to reduce development time," says Bob Ivey, Secretary of AutoDESA. "Working closely with STAR will no doubt assist AutoDESA achieve its goals in a more timely and cost effective manner.

"In addition, Australian automotive manufacturers have affiliated operations in the USA. Forthcoming Trade Agreements between our countries will see greater use of shared technology. It makes sense to synchronize our efforts. Ultimately achieving global standards in automotive retail is a win/win outcome for both organizations."

STAR is a non-profit, auto industry-wide initiative to create voluntary IT standards for the data elements and transmission format used by manufacturers, dealers, and retail system providers to communicate with each other.

STAR's initiatives will result in a more efficient data exchange between dealers and manufacturers, with lower costs, more accurate and timely data, and increased levels of customer satisfaction.

  About STAR (http://www.starstandard.org/ )
  Source: STAR

The Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail (STAR) organization is the Information Technology (IT) standards organization for the retail automotive industry. The goal of the STAR organization is to use IT standards as a catalyst in fulfilling the business information needs of dealers and manufacturers while reducing the time and effort previously required to support this activity.

Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, STAR is a not-for-profit volunteer organization and its members include Dealers, Manufacturers and Retail System Providers (RSPs). As members, they are interested in developing, promoting, and administering voluntary IT standards in the retail automotive industry and improving the effectiveness, timeliness and competitiveness of the IT solutions needed within the retail automotive industry.

  STAR membership roster:

  Dealer Groups: NADA

Retail System Providers: ADP, Advent Resources, Inc., AIAG, AFSA, Arkona, AutoDESA, Auto/Mate Inc., Cyclone Commerce, CCAQ, DealerTrack, EDS, Motorcycle Industry Council, NAT, Inc., NeoSynergy, LLC, PBS Financial Systems Inc., OAGI, Oxlo Systems, Procede Software, Reynolds & Reynolds, RouteOne, Sprint, Sun Microsystems, Tibco, UCS, 5Square Systems Corporation

Manufacturers: American Honda Motor Co., Inc., American Suzuki Motor Corp., BMW of North America, Inc., DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corp., Hyundai Motor America, Jaguar Cars, Kia Motors America, Land Rover, Mazda North American Operations, Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc., Nissan North America, Inc., Porsche Cars North America, Inc., Renault, Saab Cars USA, Subaru, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Volkswagen of America

  About AutoDESA (http://www.autodesa.com.au/ )
  Source: AutoDESA

AutoDESA is a not-for-profit organization providing an open forum where members cooperate in developing and promoting solutions that enhance the prosperity of the Australian automotive industry. The goal of AutoDESA is to promote efficiencies within the community of automotive manufacturers and importers, dealers and all other participants in the automotive value chain. This will be achieved through the development and adoption of common standards for data interchange between IT systems. This will deliver benefits to all participants through reduced development and support costs and shortened development times.

AutoDESA was formed in early 2003 and the spirit of cooperation between members has lead to rapid growth of the organization. Financial members include Manufacturers and Retail System Providers (called Dealer Management System Suppliers - DMS in Australia) and keen interest is being shown by others within the automotive and agricultural equipment value chain.

AutoDESA membership roster:

Retail System Providers: Auto-IT, Gateway Dealer Software, Infomedia, Kerridge Automotive Systems, Multitask Consulting, Revolution Software Services, Reynolds & Reynolds, Toyota WA IT Services

Manufacturers: Cycle & Carriage Automotive Services, Ford Motor Co., Honda Australia, Mazda Australia, Mitsubishi Motors Australia, Nissan Motor Co., Premier Auto Group, Toyota Australia