"CEA is pleased to contribute the experience gained from more than 75 years of setting consumer electronics standards to this historic collaboration," states Gary Shapiro, CEA president and CEO. "Standardizing the way mobile electronics products communicate will allow the automotive and consumer electronics industries to offer consumers the latest technologies in their cars. The relationship outlined in this agreement will create new profit opportunities for these industries in adding value to consumer products."

Under the terms of the agreement, the parties will form a steering committee to establish goals for the development of standards and assign responsibilities to each of the organizations. The committee also will provide a forum to exchange information, relay information on industry and organization needs, and resolve any differences that surface in the process.

"We look forward to working with SAE and other organizations and groups to get the standards written. As this technology begins to come to market, it is important for the standards development organizations like CEA and SAE to work in partnership to build strong consensus in the industry," says Shapiro.

IDB is a serial communication bus that supports an open, non-proprietary standard architecture to allow multiple electronic devices to be installed easily, cost-effectively, and safely in any vehicle. New IDB devices plug-and-play, letting car owners rely on a pre-configured bus, ready to accommodate compliant devices. These standards will promote consistent installation, minimizing the need for device or vehicle-specific customizing. There is no complicated wiring and no intensive installation time is needed.

SAE performs a role as a global leader in Intelligent Vehicles (IV) and IDB technology. The SAE IDB Committee developed the architecture and the IDB protocol specifications with the input of automakers, automotive suppliers, electronics companies, consulting firms and research companies. The IDB and some of its applications were first displayed at Convergence '98. In October, 2000, SAE will return to Convergence with the latest developments in IV and IDB. SAE is administering the National Intelligent Vehicle Initiative Meeting being held in Washington, DC on July 19-20 by the Department of Transportation and will hold its own IV Congress in Fall, 2001.

SAE is a non-profit educational and scientific organization dedicated to advancing mobility technology to better serve humanity. More than 70,000 engineers and scientists, who are SAE members, develop technical information on all forms of self-propelled vehicles including automobiles, trucks and buses, off-highway equipment, aircraft, aerospace vehicles, marine, rail, and transit systems. SAE disseminates this information through its meetings, books, technical papers, magazines, standards, reports, professional development programs, and electronic databases.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is a sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), the 76-year-old Arlington, Virginia-based trade organization representing all facets of electronics manufacturing and connecting the industries that define the digital age. CEA represents more than 600 U.S. companies involved in the development, manufacturing and distribution of audio, video, mobile electronics, communications, information technology, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related services, that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, these companies account for more than $60 billion in annual sales.

CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES - Your Source for Workstyle and Lifestyle Technology. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.

Link for more info: www.ce.org