The door is open to the Internet world

The door is open to the Internet world At the Internet World exhibition, Mecel and Scania Infotronics show the first WAP-browser for a truck environment. The driver can use voice commands or a few buttons on the steering wheel to control the browser. He gets the informa- tion via synthetic speech, eliminating the need to remove the hands from the steering wheel or the eyes from the road. The Internet World exhibition opens on Tuesday in Sollentuna in the northern suburbs of Stockholm, next door to Kista, Stockholm's 'Silicon Valley'. Mecel and Scania Infotronics show the equipment in a mock-up of 'the intelligent truck' that includes WAP, MP3 and Bluetooth technologies. The WAP browser is one of several applications developed by Mecel for the AutoPC platform, Microsoft's proposal for an open, flexible architecture for in-vehicle information and entertainment. Besides normal functions such as radio, CD-player and handsfree telephone, Me- cel and Scania Infotronics have integrated e-mail, voice memo, telematics services, Bluetooth connection and an MP3-player on this platform. "In the future we will give the truck driver access to brand new functions," says Peter Gillbrand, MD of Scania Infotronics. "WAP gives us interesting possibilities to build part of these services outside the vehicle." Scania Infotronics is a cutting-edge electronics company started by Scania jointly with the research company Mecel (owned by Delphi) with the aim of us- ing new information technology and flexible working methods to respond rapidly to new demands in the heavy vehicle business "This fast-moving market requires extreme flexibility," says Peter Gill- brand, MD of Scania Infotronics. "Our task on behalf of Scania involves find- ing viable technologies and develop solutions that are suitable to adapt to heavy trucks. "A heavy truck has a technical life of at least one decade and new model range takes around 5 years to develop. New IT technology is often obsolete within 6-12 months. Our chalenge is to bridge the gap between these two worlds. "We focus on mobile Internet solutions and services that improve operating economy and logistics for the customer, as well as safety and security. Better logistics also reduce the environmental impact from road haulage," concludes Peter Gillbrand. For further information, please contact: * Peter Gillbrand, Scania Infotronics, tel. +46 8 55380751, e-mail peter.gillbrand@infotronics.scania.com * Per-Erik Nordström, Corporate Communications, tel. +46 8 55385577, e-mail per-erik.nordstrom@scania.com Scania is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines. With 23,500 employees and production facilities in Europe and Latin America, Scania is one of the most profitable companies in its sector. In 1998, turnover to- talled SEK 45,300 million and income after financial items SEK 3,200 million. Scania products are marketed in about 100 countries worldwide and approxi- mately 96 percent of total production is sold outside Sweden. ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/11/15/19991115BIT00410/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/11/15/19991115BIT00410/bit0002.pdf