Ford and Fiat Adopt Telematics Developed by Microsoft

Transcription

1 Ford and Fiat Adopt Telematics Developed by Microsoft Toyota, Nissan and Honda strengthen route search functions by upgrading performance of in car navigation systems Dec. 20, 2007 No.634 Telematics systems in North America and Europe are low priced with limited functions, while those in Japan have become more precise in searching routes owing to the increased sophistication of in car navigation systems. In North America, GM equipped new vehicles with in car hardware for its telematics service named OnStar as a standard feature, expanding the number of the members to over 5 million. Chrysler is expected to start providing an operator service similar to OnStar by equipping low priced in car hardware to its vehicles as standard equipment from Ford has already launched a low priced system Sync, which it had jointly developed with Microsoft. In Europe, the ecall project, which is an emergency call system, has been advanced under the European Commission's initiative and the hardware is planned to be equipped to new vehicles as a standard vehicle feature from September There have been telematics services offered by individual automotive manufacturers such as M Benz's Tele Aid or BMW's BMW Assist, and Volvo Car started a service that covers 14 European countries in 2006 (this telematics service is the largest in terms of the geographic area covered). Among mass production manufacturers, PSA and Fiat are also building their telematics service systems. In Japan, Toyota, Nissan and Honda have been strengthening their traffic information/route search services with high accuracy using high functional in car navigation systems. North America: Ford launches new system Sync while Chrysler is expected to start its telematics service GM: Adds a function to OnStar to decrease traffic accidents by stolen vehicles on the run GM added a new function to remotely decelerate stolen vehicles to OnStar's new hardware with plans to install the device starting with 2009 model vehicles. The new function, which will be engaged on request from the police, is to decrease the number of traffic accidents caused by stolen vehicles chased by the police (GM is considering offering this new technology to other companies). GM: Adds a function to remotely decelerate stolen vehicles on the run to OnStar GM gave a demonstration of "Stolen Vehicle Slowdown", which decelerates stolen vehicles on the run remotely, in October 2007 as a new service of OnStar to aim decreasing the number of traffic accidents caused by stolen vehicles. The function will be used when an OnStar subscriber reports to the police that their vehicle has been stolen and makes a request to OnStar for the Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance to locate the current position of the stolen vehicle with GPS. The police then requests OnStar to activate the function after they have located the stolen vehicle. GM plans to equip Generation 8, which is a device for OnStar with the above mentioned function, to 2009 year models as standard equipment. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of USA, the number of chases by the police of stolen vehicles is approximately 30,000 per year and the number of fatal accidents during chases are around 300. Source: GM News Release Partnering with MapQuest, OnStar's navigation system with synthetic voice is also strengthened OnStar partnered with MapQuest, which offers map search services on the internet, in April Through the partnership, OnStar subscribers can use OnStar's synthetic voice route guidance using the driving routes 1/8

2 that the subscribers created on MapQuest's web site from their PCs and sent to OnStar beforehand. OnStar plans to start full services of this function at the end of OnStar's main service OnStar has business in USA and Canada with over 500 million subscribers as of October It offers "Safe & Sound Plan" (annual subscription fee is 199 USD) and "Directions & Connections Plan" (annual subscription fee is 299 USD) services as of November GM has equipped almost all the 2008 year models including Saab brand vehicles with OnStar hardware Generation 7, making the "Safe & Sound Plan" ("Direction & Connections Plan" for some models) available for free of charge for one year from the new vehicle registration. Safe & Sound Plan contains remote vehicle diagnostics, automatic/manual emergency calls, location information of a stolen vehicle, remote door unlock, voice activated automobile telephone connections and road services. Direction & Connections Plan includes route guidance by synthetic voice, route guidance by operators and other guidance services by operators in addition to the services offered by Safe & Sound Plan. Sources: GM News Release , others (Notes) 1.Honda' Acura branded vehicles (2002 models to 2006 models), VW's Audi/VW branded vehicles (2003 models to 2005 models), Isuzu's Ascender (2003 models to 2006 models) and Fuji Heavy Industries' Subaru Outback (2003 models to 2004 models) have OnStar's hardware as optional equipment. 2.Toyota's North American Lexus branded vehicles have also OnStar's device as optional equipment and the service has been operated as Lexus Link with special operators. Ford: Optionally equips Sync, which it jointly developed with Microsoft, from 2008 year models Ford has Sync, which is the telematics system it jointly developed with Microsoft, as an optional feature from 2008 year models (some models have the system as a standard feature). Sync is a low priced system with main functions including voice activated controls of digital music players such as ipod, hands free calls from mobile phones, and audible text messaging from mobile phones. Ford: Partnering with Microsoft, rolls out Sync focused on entertainment functions Ford and Microsoft unveiled Sync, an in car communication and entertainment system, in January Sync is only for North America and will not be available in Europe. It can be connected to mobile phones, Apple's ipod, Microsoft's Zune and digital media players such as MP3 through Bluetooth or USB ports and can be activated by voice commands. Sync's platform is Microsoft's Microsoft Auto and its functions are the same as those of Fiat's Blue&Me, although there are some differences such as Ford's Sync is not connectable to in car navigation systems. Ford has optional services VEMS (Vehicle Emergency Messaging System) and RESCU (Remote Emergency Satellite Cellular Unit) exclusive for Lincoln Continental/LS as emergency calling systems. However, Sync does not link to those systems. Sources: Ford News Release , others Chrysler: plans to start a telematics service by partnering Hughes Telematics Chrysler plans to start a telematics service by equipping in car devices manufactured by Hughes Telematics to 2010 year models marketed in 2009 as standard equipment. It will offer services similar to GM's OnStar. Chrysler: partners with Hughes Telematics and plans to offer services similar to OnStar Hughes Telematics in January 2007 announced that Chrysler became the first manufacturer that installs the Company's technology to vehicles as standard equipment. Chrysler is expected to equip the technology starting from 2010 year models. The functions and the business model are similar to those of OnStar. In car devices will be equipped to all Chrysler models as a standard feature and users willing to subscribe will individually sign up for the services. Hughes Telematics takes on all the development costs. The cost of the device itself supplied to Chrysler is said to be less than 100 USD per vehicle. 2/8

3 Hughes Telematics, which is under Apollo Management group, offers a telematics service including tracking systems using GPS and remote vehicle diagnostics systems for the aftermarket at its wholly owned subsidiary Networkcar. Sources: Hughes Telematics News Release , others Europe: Plans to start installing in car ecall devices as standard feature in September 2010 In Europe, the ecall (emergency call) project, which is an automatic emergency call service from automobiles and which covers the entire EU region, is underway. This project, which is led by European Commission, is voluntarily undertaken by EU member countries and the automobile industry. The full scale service is targeted to start in September 2010, one year delayed from the original plan. The delay in the ecall project is believed to be caused by the delay in signing of ecall MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) by EU member countries. Although 13 EU member countries and 3 non EU member countries have signed, UK and France have not signed yet. (Note)The ecall aims to establish an integrated rescue structure for traffic accidents in the entire EU by equipping low priced hardware for automated emergency calls to new vehicles sold in EU as standard feature from September It is expected to save 2,500 lives per year. The original plan was to start the service in The ecall project is operated by esafety Forum, which was established in 2003 by companies such as automotive manufacturers, automotive parts suppliers, telecommunication operators and insurance companies under European Commission's call with the aim to dramatically decrease the number of fatalities by traffic accidents by adopting high technologies to vehicles. The ecall MoU was written by a working group of esafety Forum in August The main contents are two points as follows; the operation of ecall services in all the EU member countries and the emergency call number used for ecall to be 112, which is EU's unified emergency call number. European Commission is trying to implement ecall services as a voluntary approach based on the agreement of MoU. Countries that signed the ecall MoU (as of November 2007) EU Member Countries Signed in 2004: Finland Signed in 2005: Sweden, Italy, Greek, Lithuania, Slovenia, Cyprus Signed in 2007: Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Czech, Holland Non EU Member Switzerland (signed in 2004), Norway (signed in 2006), Iceland (signed in 2006) Countries Source: esafetysupport List of signatures (last updated 08 November 2007) Volvo Car: Launches its Volvo On Call service of which main service is to be able to make emergency calls in 14 European countries Volvo Car started its telematics service Volvo On Call in 14 European countries in the spring of This is the largest telematics service in Europe in terms of the area covered. Volvo Car: Operates Volvo On Call in 14 European countries Volvo Car started operating Volvo On Call as its telematics service that is available in a large area in Europe in the spring of The Company currently offers its services in 14 European countries with a plan to further expand to other countries (Volvo Car equips telematics devices as an optional feature to all the models sold in Europe). In seven countries of Belgium, UK, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Holland and Sweden, Volvo Car established a service center in each country while established an international service center that handles the service in seven countries of Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain, Germany and Austria. Volvo On Call in Europe is a system with the condition of the ecall to be implemented so automatic/manual emergency calls in case of accidents will be directly connected to ecall's emergency 3/8

4 services without going through operators. The contents of the services are Safety Package, which includes automatic/manual emergency calls and road services, and Security Package that includes thief alarm, vehicle location information and door unlocking service through remote operation. Sources: Volvo Car Press Information , others (Note)Volvo On Call started its service in 2002 in North America and is available to all models Volvo sells in North America as an optional feature. Fiat: Markets Blue&Me, a basic system that Fiat jointly developed with Microsoft Fiat has Blue&Me, which is a telematics system it had jointly developed with Microsoft, as an optional feature available since March In March 2007, it launched Blue&Me Nav, which can be connected to an operator service that includes emergency calls that Telecom Italia offers, when used with a built in type in car navigation system. Fiat plans to launch Blue&Me Map, which is packaged with Personal Navigation Devices (PND; basic portable navigation device), at the end of Fiat: Offers Blue&Me that jointly developed with Microsoft Fiat unveiled Blue&Me, which is a telematics system it had jointly developed with Microsoft, in March The two companies entered into a partnership on the joint development of a telematics system in July Blue&Me can connect digital media players such as MP3 to its USB port and also can be operated by voice commands. Mobile phones can be connected via Bluetooth and can make hands free calls. It also has an audible reading function. The price for the optional feature is Euros. According to Microsoft, Blue&Me's platform is Microsoft Auto and the OS has been developed based on Mobile for Automotive while the hardware standard is also chosen by Microsoft. Microsoft Auto's Fiat version is Blue&Me and Ford version is Sync. Blue&Me Nav packaged with an in car navigation system In March 2007, the Company released Blue&Me Nav, which is packaged with a built in type navigation system. The price for the optional feature is 600 Euros. Blue&Me Nav can use the operator service offered by Telecom Italia. The service started in March 2007 in Italy and is now available in France, Spain, Germany and the UK. The service includes route guidance, road services, emergency calls and vehicle location information. The fee is 1.5 Euros per minute. The emergency call service is free of charge for the first two years. Fiat and Telecom Italia are considering making the service also available to Blue&Me, which is not packaged with an in car navigation system. Blue&Me Map packaged with PND can share data among equipped vehicles In December 2007, the Company launches Blue&Me Map, which is packaged with Personal Navigation Devices (PND) which have built in GPS. The price of the device as the set with the exclusive PND as the optional feature is expected to be around the same as Blue&Me Nav, which is around Euros. The exclusive PND is set in the exclusive holder located in the center of the dashboard and is connected via Bluetooth. It will be able to share data among other vehicles equipped with Blue&Me Map. Sources: Microsoft News Release /07.3.5, others BMW: Starts a new service ConnectedDrive BMW started the new service BMW ConnectedDrive, which networks information, communication and an assistant system in and outside of a vehicle, in ConnectedDrive integrated BMW Assist, which is a conventional telematics service, and BMW Online, which provides Internet connections inside a vehicle. Driving routes created on the Internet can be used with an in car navigation system as route guidance. BMW: Markets ConnectedDrive that networks information, communication and assistant systems BMW started a new telematics service BMW ConnectedDrive, which networks information, 4/8

5 communication and an assistant system in and outside of a vehicle, in Europe in 2007 (the Company's conventional service BMW Assist became a part of the new service). The current service includes BMW Assist (a telematics service), BMW Online (internet connections using an in car device), BMW Tracking (current location information when the vehicle is stolen) and BMW TeleServices (monitors a vehicle and contacts the vehicle when maintenance is needed. A remote vehicle diagnostics is also implemented). Ties up with Google, uses Google Maps data with ConnectedDrive BMW entered into an alliance with Google in March 2007 and started a service that makes data from Google Maps available with BMW ConnectedDrive. From BMW Online, users can search routes to a destination on the web site Google Maps and import searched routes to an in car navigation system. Sources: BMW website, others Telematics services offered by M Benz/Audi/Alfa Romeo/Peugeot In Europe, manufacturers such as M Benz, Audi and Alfa Romeo are operating telematics services. Peugeot launched a new generation of in car navigation systems in 2007 and started offering an operator service that provides route guidance/road services, in addition to its conventional operator service for emergency calls. Telematics services from other European manufacturers M Benz Audi Contents of the service Tele Aid Audi Telematics Outline Offers an operator service including automatic/manual emergency calls, road services and remote operations as optional services. It started in Europe in 1997 and in North America in An operator service including route guidance, emergency calls and road services. It offers those services in Europe. Alfa Romeo Connect An operator service. Offered in Europe. Peugeot Peugeot Urgence Service Peugeot Mobile Service An operator service for automatic/manual emergency calls. When an in car navigation system RT3/RT4 is selected as an optional feature, the service will be free of charge (RT3 started in 2002 and RT4 2007). Communication is through mobile phones. Currently the service is available in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal and Austria. An operator service, which uses mobile phones, designed for models that have in car navigation "RT3/RT4". It offers a service including route guidance, road services. The service started in France and Germany in early Japan: Offers precise traffic information services with high performance in car navigation systems Toyota: Launches new telematics service G BOOK mx Toyota revamped its telematics service G BOOK ALPHA and started G BOOK mx in May G BOOK mx has new functions including map updating services and Probe Communication Traffic Information, which shares information with other vehicles. The G BOOK mx service is available from models with a compatible in car navigation system for free of charge. Toyota: Launches next generation telematics service G BOOK mx Toyota in April 2007 announced that it would begin rolling out its next generation telematics service G BOOK mx and an HDD navigation system that is compatible with the telematics service from May G BOOK mx is a service that is offered free of charge for the compatible HDD navigation system and uses mobile phones for connection. G BOOK mx Pro is a fee based service (it requires to have an in car 5/8

6 communication device DDM installed) that offers a security service and an operator service in addition to the standard G BOOK service. Toyota's conventional telematics service G BOOK ALPHA also changed its five user plans to two types; G BOOK ALPHA, which is free of charge, and a fee based service G BOOK ALPHA Pro. Main service added and strengthened with G BOOK mx The services that are added or enhanced with G BOOK mx are a map updating service, Probe Communication Traffic Information that uses data collected from other vehicles equipped with G BOOK mx, wireless audio play with Bluetooth, and HELPNET that is an emergency call service. Services to deter theft, to trace a stolen vehicle, route search and traffic forecast are continuously available from G BOOK ALPHA. Lexus branded vehicles have Lexus's exclusive G Link service as a standard feature (available for free for three years from the new car registration). Its compliant operator service at Lexus Owners Desk is the feature of the service. Starts telematics service in China from 2009 Toyota announced in October 2007 that it will start its telematics service for Toyota vehicles sold in China from The contents of the service are expected to be equivalent to those of Japan's G BOOK ALPHA and an emergency call service, a traffic congestion information service and a road service are considered. Toyota plans to implement verification tests in 2008 and starts providing the services from upper models in early Sources: Toyota News Release , others Nissan: Starts a new CARWINGS service that uses the Internet by equipping a new in car navigation system Nissan started offering a new HDD based high speed and large capacity in car navigation system as an optional feature in November Thanks to the new in car navigation system, use of the Internet information from web sites such as Yahoo! can be expanded and route searches using probe traffic information have become available. Nissan: Starts a new service by launching a new CARWINGS in car navigation system Nissan launched a next generation CARWINGS service for a new in car navigation system with highspeed/large capacity HDD in November New services are internet information channels (it collects information from certain internet web sites such as Yahoo! Japan and reads out the contents) and a route search service to find the quickest route using probe traffic information. Launches CARWINGS' new service to support eco driving Nissan launched a new service that displays monthly average fuel efficiency ranking of CARWINGS members on the member web site in January It also gives one point advice on members' weekly average fuel efficiency by comparing the average fuel efficiency of the previous month. Delivers restaurant and map information from Yahoo! through CARWINGS In March 2007, Nissan introduced Yahoo!'s restaurant information that Yahoo! Japan offers on the Internet as CARWINGS' service. In October 2007, Nissan also started delivering Yahoo! map information "wai wai map" to vehicles. Willcom starts a flat rate communication service exclusive for CARWINGS PHS communication operator Willcom plans to offer a flat rate communication service (1,200 Yen/month) exclusive for CARWINGS from December Subscribers purchase a communication module (expected to be around 10,000 Yen), which uses Willcom's PHS communication and is exclusive for CARWINGS' navigation system. CARWINGS' main service 6/8

7 CARWINGS is a service that uses mobile phones to communicate and offers a remote operated in car navigation setting service corresponded by operators and a road service as its main service. Subscribers can use the service for free of charge for three years when choose this optional feature and register as a member (communication charges needed to be paid by the subscribers). In addition to the operator service, it offers followings; specific internet contents that can be used inside a vehicle, information on traffic congestion/restaurants, quickest route search, recommendations about a destination or other places, close facilities along a driving route, driving route simulations on the member Web site (available from a computer), reading out s, transmission of a current location of the vehicle as well as map information for mobile phones that can be used after getting off a vehicle. Sources: Nissan Press Release / / / Honda: Internavi, of which members reach half million, offers precise route information Honda announced that the number of members of Internavi Premium Club had reached 500,000 in April The center of the service is the quickest driving route information, which is offered by combining Floating Car System that accumulates data including travelling time of driving routes of members and VICS information. The accuracy of Floating Car System is said to be more improved when there is more number of subscribers. In September 2007, it started to have a new in car navigation system that can reflect newly opened road data to route guidance as an optional feature. Honda: The number of Internavi Premium Club members exceeds half million Honda announced in April 2007 that the number of subscribers of its Internavi Premium Club had exceeded 500,000 (the service started in October 2002) and the total driving distance of Floating Car System, which Internavi provides, had also surpassed 200 million km. Data collected by Floating Car System is used for Internavi's traffic congestion information. Internavi Floating Car System accumulates the time required for members to drive a section (except sections where VICS is installed) and send the data to an information center. It then combines it with usual VICS information to provide a quickest route to reach a destination for members (since March 2006, it provides more integrated traffic information by including VICS equipped sections to be covered by Floating Car System). Adds forecast of heavy rain and information on earthquake to Internavi's weather information In July 2007, Honda added information on the area where heavy rain is forecasted and information for earthquake to Internavi Premium Club's weather information service. In September 2007, it started to have a new in car navigation system as an optional feature, and added a new service, which sends location information to family members from the vehicle automatically, when it has been driving in an area where an earthquake has occurred to quickly confirm the occupants' safety. Furthermore, it has also become possible to reflect newly opened roads to navigation system's route guides almost at the same time as the opening by receiving the information of major road openings as data information through mobile phones. Introduces a flat rate data communication using Willcom's exclusive communication card to Internavi Honda introduced a flat rate data communication service that uses Willcom's communication card exclusive for Internavi in March The un metered plan costs 1,050 Yen per month (subscribers need to purchase an exclusive communication card and also need to pay fees such as handling charges). Internavi Premium Club's main service Internavi Premium Club's service includes traffic congestion forecast, Floating Car System, information on driving lines, car park information, weather information, disaster prevention information and a free map update service. These are available free of charge when signing up for the membership from a vehicle equipped with an exclusive in car navigation system. There is also a fee based optional operator service to which subscribers can request road services. The communication is through mobile phones and subscribers 7/8

8 need to pay the communication fees. Sources: Honda Press Information /07.4.9/ Copyright(C)MarkLines Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. source: MarkLines Co., Ltd. 8/8