DaimlerChrysler has raised the open-standards flag in telematics, saying cars need to be computing vehicles that connect to the leading edge of technology, not just nodes of isolated proprietary telematics systems. “Our philosophy is to look at the car in the whole environment – the whole computing environment,” said Karenann Terrell, business director of DaimlerChrysler’s E-Connect Platform. Terrell said cars need the same kind of Web access that car owners have at their home and their work. “It needs not be a proprietary solution. In fact, our philosophy is that if it is a proprietary solution, infotronics or information and education and entertainment in the car, wirelessly, is not going to explode the way all the analysts are thinking about,” she said during a media briefing held in Auburn Hills. The briefing introduced DCX’s “IT Cruiser” telematics concept technology, displayed in both a PT Cruiser and in the Dodge Super8 Hemi concept vehicle unveiled at the North American International Auto Show. DCX and Sun Microsystems engineered the IT Cruiser infotronic system, and Sun intends to push development of Java-enabled technology to provide in-car services such as vehicle personalization and information sharing. The concept views the car more as a holster for information services than as a revenue-generating service point for a particular service, such as GM’s OnStar or Ford’s Wingcast. Terrell said DCX concepts include openness to a wide range of services and features which drivers and designers haven’t conceived yet, and she used the analogy of personal computing and the World Wide Web to characterize telematics development. “If it isn’t open to the exact same standards that have expanded the Web, then we’re not going to be able to actually get access to a lot of the content that our consumers really want -– not just stocks and email,” Terrell said. She said DCX intends to develop and expand telematics as a valued part of the automotive business, but to reach far outside the automotive environment for leading technology and applications rather than build a stand-alone system. “We’re not OnStar here – we don’t have to create every single element of the value chain. The Chrysler interpretation of that business model is that we go out and partner with the very best, the smartest and the people who are on the leading edge.” Mark Moody, a Sun senior Java architect, said telematics should become “device agnostic” in order to develop to its full potential. “Sun does not want to see the same scenario that played out in the desktop environment play out in the automobile environment,” he said, conjuring memories of the days when a profusion of computer operating systems couldn’t communicate with one another or share basic data. Moody said the auto industry should be responsible for setting standards, but within those standards, cars should function almost as generic devices, able to link to a large number of service providers in a reliable and stable way. According to Terrell, open-platform advantages for telematics could sweep across the industry, particularly as wireless protocol exposes consumers to a new level of services that need to be ruggedized for in-vehicle use. Drivers tend to expect consumer electronics functionality from their cars, but auto engineers know that the harsh environment in vehicles requires special engineering and tougher systems than most consumer electronics ever face. That means that a vehicle whose basic systems can be software-upgraded to account for new electronic abilities has a competitive advantage. An example might be video for in-car movies; installing a fragile mechanical video-player unit in a car is expensive and complex, but if the car is already equipped with a durable video display screen, a software-based digital movie could be downloaded to the car for later viewing. This media-beaming function is expected to link cars to the home and its entertainment system through wireless local-area networks. While the car is parked overnight, its onboard media can be freshened or changed for pre-selected titles. The same kind of linking, though, can also be used for home security system monitoring or location-based information and entertainment while traveling. DCX designer Freman Thomas said the system challenges designers, but opens up significant amounts of previously-ignored car interior for installation of systems. Areas such as seat backs suddenly become premium real estate, offering services that are valuable to car occupants. The company thinks it can use telematics to differentiate its vehicles, customizing them to meet the needs of different drivers – if a minivan meets certain family needs, a telematics-equipped one might be able to tailor itself even more specifically to issues of safety, navigation, entertainment and security, for example. The IT Cruiser concept also divides the car interior into a series of “zones” that can offer a variety of information, customizing the in-car experience for a passenger’s needs without distracting the driver. A smart card with a Java-enabled chip would let passengers switch zones without losing their pre-set preferences, such as music selection or entertainment “bookmarks.” The proposed JavaCard is similar to systems already being installed in hotels and schools to provide services and access to people regardless of their “seat” or room location. Introducing such services may take some time, but Terrell said DCX feels proprietary systems will be severely challenged by the breadth of emerging telematics content as the industry moves forward. “The first guy is not always right in this space,” she said. “We are investigating what is right for our consumers.”