The story I wrote for 12 Volt News, which can be found at www.12voltnews.com/?p=5095.

Detroit, Michigan – What started out as a gloomy week in Detroit as General Motors filed for bankruptcy on Monday, ended with a very positive outlook on the future of automotive technology. The 9th annual Telematics Detroit 2009 Conference & Exhibition, said to be the world's largest telematics conference, began on Tuesday following GM’s announcement. Despite an obvious tone of uncertainty amongst many exhibitors, that wasn’t a show-stopper for them when it came to unleashing many new and exciting innovations.

Although Telematics Detroit is not a typical 12 Volt aftermarket show, it is widely known for showcasing new technology from tier-1 suppliers that sell and license directly to the 12 Volt manufacturers as well as the OEMs. Products unveiled at this event in recent years include the earliest versions of “live traffic” solutions to what eventually became the Microsoft/Ford Sync.

The main topic of conversation at this year’s show was undoubtedly wireless connectivity. Everything from what is being referred to as “Navigation 3.0” to “social media while driving” were among the items on display. A panel debate consisting of senior executives from Google, Networks in Motion, TomTom, Garmin, and Panasonic raised the question, “How is the mainstream consumer going to be ‘connected’ while in the car?” Although each company was in complete agreement that all consumers will eventually expect to receive connected services while driving (cheapest gas locations, real-time points of interest, weather, traffic, etc.), there were many differing opinions on how those services would be delivered to the vehicle. TomTom’s current business model supports a monthly paid subscription service (over a cellular connection) whereas Garmin has partnered with Microsoft to offer MSN Direct, being sent over FM radio signals, for a one-time flat fee. Google’s concept involves a service in which there are no costs to the end user and it is fully supported by advertising revenue.

One of the more interesting concepts on display was from a company called UIE Automotive. They were celebrating the official debut of their new myCar™ connected services platform, which connects a driver to his/her vehicle via their cell phone. Demonstrations were being shown using Apple’s iPhone and RIM's Blackberry Bold showcasing real-time updates on the vehicle’s health and quickly diagnosing any service needs. Additionally, myCar™ allows drivers to access remote vehicle features such as door lock and unlock, start engine, and check tire pressure.

While walking the show floor, a familiar brand caught my eye. Utilizing a Kenwood head unit from Japan, software developer Macrovision was showcasing their unique new media player. According to a company representative, Macrovision is working very closely with Kenwood Japan on a new software service that allows your head unit to automatically display album art and other information related to any song that is being played, all via the internet. Additionally, they were showcasing a new social media feature that allows you to see what friends and other people in your area are listening to at that exact moment.

As the day came to a close, Telematics Detroit certainly wouldn’t be complete without attending the annual awards dinner, which has become a staple amongst the telematics industry. Hosting the dinner was the organizer of the event, Precksha Saksena-Sood, Managing Director of Telematics Update. She stated “2008/2009 has been a year of tremendous innovation. In a tougher climate, companies need to offer even more cutting-edge solutions in order to succeed, and our winners and runners-up are living proof of that.” The results of the awards show:

Telematics Leadership Award (An Individual)
Joint Winners: Chet Huber, President, OnStar and Joseph Berry, Director/Chief Architect - SYNC, Ford Motor Company
Runner-up: Andrew Poliak, Director of automotive business development, QNX Software Systems

Industry Newcomer Award
Winner: FORD for SYNC
Runner-up: GENIVI Alliance

Best Embedded Telematics Service Award
Winner: OnStar by GM
Runner-up: Airbiquity

Best Embedded Telematics Navigation Product Award
Winner: BMW of North America, LLC
Runner-up: Visteon

Best Portable Telematics Solution Award
Winner: TeleNav Inc.
Runner-up: TeleAtlas

Best Portable Navigation System Award
Winner: TomTom, Inc.

Best Aftermarket Device Award
Joint Winners: Autonet Mobile, Inc. and Hughes Telematics
Runner up: Parrot

Best Telematics Component Solution Award
Joint Winners: Inrix and NAVTEQ
Runner-up: Intel

Best Telematics Service & Application for Commercial Vehicles Award
Winner: Daimler Trucks
Runner-up: NAVMAN Wireless

Best use of Telematics Technology in the Public Sector Award
Winner: OnStar
Runner up: Inrix

Car Manufacturer Innovation Award
Winner: Ford
Runner-up: GM Onstar