TELEMATICS:

"A Crossroad for Transport and Information Technology"

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Americans alone spend more than 500 million commuter hours in their cars every week. For many drivers and passengers, the automobile is more than a way to get from point A to point B - it's also a mobile office and entertainment center…

Information technology entrepreneurs face massive opportunity today in an industry started over one century ago: the conversion of one of the most heavily used products (the automobile) into an information-processing machine. From Microsoft and Oracle to Ford, GM and DaimlerChrysler to XM Radio and Sirrus Radio: the race is on to control the operating system, the applications, the network, the connectivity and the services delivered into automobiles.

Based on announced plans by automakers, 50 percent of all new cars and 90 percent of higher-end models will be equipped with real-time data services (or "telematics") by 2006 (as many as 25 million automobiles). Strategy Analytics estimates the retail/subscription market for telematics at nearly $23 billion by 2006, and Goldman Sachs estimates the total market for both systems and services at more than $100 billion. International Data Corporation has estimated that the telematics market will grow to $42 billion by 2010 from $1 billion in 1998.The business relates to the development and deployment of interactive voice recognition/speech response technology; GPS navigation); satellite broadcast and narrowcast systems; telephony; streaming media (entertainment); location-sensitive services (e.g. Zagats); telemetry, asset and equipment tracking; instant messaging; and security monitoring (e.g., theft and substance abuse prevention) and remote surveillance; and, payment systems (e.g. EZPass).

Analysts, investors and established industry players will discuss the telematics sector, and how they intend to build their businesses.

Panelists:

To Be Announced

Date:	Tuesday, April 16, 2002
Time:	5:15pm: registration, networking and refreshments 6:00pm - 7:45pm: program
Place:	The Lighthouse International, 111 East 59th Street (between Park Av. and Lexington Av.)