Future trends: 2004 will be a year of change

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) January 5, 2004 -- Future trends: 2004 will be a year of change for

in-car telematics industry



(New York, NY, January 5, 2004) -- 2004 will be a

year of strategic change for the in-car telematics industry, according to �The Intelligent Highway� newsletter in its annual analysis of future trends. The industry will refocus away from commercial services and towards using the technology as a customer relationship tool. Carmakers will use the vehicle positioning and communications systems to develop close ties with drivers for remote diagnostics, servicing, and roadside assistance.



Reducing the cost of systems and services is vital to the successful deployment of telematics services, reports �The Intelligent Highway.� This cost reduction will only occur if open standards emerge to allow economies of scale and the integration of systems within the vehicle. Work on these standards is a high priority for vehicle manufacturers in 2004.



The full text of the �Future Trends� article which includes comments from leaders at Acunia, GM, Honda, Norwich Union, Signant, Tele Atlas, and Toyota is available online at

http://www.IntelligentHighway.com/ITS/tihreport2004.asp

or by phoning the publisher at +1 212 228 0246.



�The Intelligent Highway,� the telematics industry Bible, provides news and opinion from the European road transport technology industry twice a month. The newsletter covers a wide range of intelligent transport systems, including electronic tolling technologies and traffic management systems, in addition to in-car

telematics.





Website: http://www.IntelligentHighway.com



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CONTACT:

Nadine Harris

(212) 228-0246 Ext. 104

mailto:nharris@IntelligentHighway.com