As people spend more and more time in their vehicles, the automotive industry is driving a mobile electronics revolution with infotronics and mobile multimedia changing the driving experience. How to balance the use of mobile multimedia and keep drivers' hands on the wheel and eyes on the road is a key topic at Convergence 2000, the world's premier automotive electronics conference, coming to Cobo Center in Detroit, Oct. 16-18.Sessions focusing on infotronics at Convergence 2000 will offer three discussions: "Dynamic Route Guidance," highlighting navigational systems; "Mobile Information," plugging into the telecommunications world.; "Mobile Entertainment," delving into satellite radio and how to download television with the extraordinary bandwidth needed for full-motion pictures.
Convergence 2000 will also feature a session on minimizing the distractions often associated with using automotive infotronics, such as wireless phones, navigation systems, and e-mail. This session's objective is to discuss the human-machine interface as well as other human factors that affect driving. It will also address regulations and legal issues for minimizing distractions to drivers.
"Today, vehicles are serving as much more than a means to get from one place to another," explains J.T. Battenberg III, chairman, CEO and president of Delphi Automotive Systems, and chairman of Convergence 2000. "With high-tech automotive infotronics, vehicles now serve as an office away from home, a mobile entertainment center, a navigation system, and other non-traditional automotive functions. Convergence 2000 will be the launch pad for many of these new technologies."
Convergence 2000 provides the backdrop for more than 6000 industry leaders participating in this unparalleled global forum. With the theme of "Automotive Electronics: Delivering Technology's Promise," Convergence 2000 will feature much more than state-of-the-art exhibits, leading-edge technical sessions and breakthrough white papers.
This year's conference boasts an impressive list of keynote speakers, including Scott McNealy, CEO, Sun Microsystems; Shoichiro Irimajiri, representative director and vice chairman, Sega Enterprises, Ltd; Carly Fiorina, CEO, Hewlett-Packard Company; C. Michael Armstrong, CEO, AT&T; William Ford, Jr., chairman of the board, Ford Motor Company and John F. "Jack" Smith, Jr., chairman, General Motors Corporation.
Convergence 2000 is sponsored by the Convergence Transportation Electronics Association (CTEA), which founded the conference more than 25 years ago; the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Proceeds from the conference benefit the Convergence Education Foundation (CEF), a nonprofit organization devoted to developing a passion for mathematics and science in school-aged children.
Link for more info: www.convergence2000.org
