CeBit 2008: Cebit presents Electronic assistants prevent accidents before they happen

Cebit 2008: CeBIT 2008 (4 - 9 March) will focus on the latest developments in automotive electronics and networking. Hot topics will be driver assistance systems, DVB-T receivers, 3D roadmaps, navigation via WLAN as opposed to GPS and - last but not least - mobile phones with built-in navigation capabilities. These and many other high-tech offerings will be on show at "Telematics & Navigation, Automotive Solutions, Transport & Logistics" in Halls 14 and 15.

If the auto industry's development engineers get their way, cars will soon be able to see more clearly than their drivers. On-board electronic systems are becoming smarter and smarter. At present, these systems are designed primarily to protect the occupants in the event of a collision. The next generation of driver assistance systems will be networked in such a way that they can exchange and analyze data in real time. This will result in decisive gains in terms of safety and comfort. In this context, lidar and radar sensors automatically maintain a safe distance from the car in front and from the crash barriers at the side of the road. These sensors also detect obstacles in the vehicle's path, as well as other hidden hazards (e.g. if the driver intends to change lanes). In addition to issuing an acoustic warning the driver assistance system takes preventive action - e.g. by increasing the car's brake pressure. If a collision is unavoidable, all the car's safety devices are activated. It is conceivable that driver assistance systems will also take active control of the vehicle's brakes and steering in emergency situations. After a crash has occurred, built-in accelerometers and pressure/sound sensors automatically gauge the severity of the impact and alert the emergency services via the mobile phone network.

Navigation systems with an expanded range of user-friendly features

According to research carried out by the German Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media (BITKOM), sales of mobile car navigation systems will rise to €825 million in 2008 - an increase of 10.3 percent on the previous year. Navigation systems number among top-selling consumer electronics products. According to BITKOM one system in three now boasts a built-in MP3 player. More and more models are capable of receiving congestion avoidance data via TMC and TMC-Pro. Many of today's sat-nav devices are also equipped with hands-free Bluetooth mobile phone kits. Built-in FM transmitters are another common feature. These allow the user to channel audio tracks from an MP3 player or mobile phone directly to the vehicle's stereo system. Last but not least, the introduction of DVB-T receiver chips has transformed mobile navigation devices into fully functioning TV sets.

CeBIT 2008 will also highlight the latest developments in navigation software. Digital maps are poised to enter a new era. As from the middle of 2008 they will be capable of generating high-resolution 3D graphics of towns and cities. The software will also issue advance warnings of sharp bends, steep hills, speed limits and overtaking restrictions. Thanks to the close collaboration with mobile phone companies, congestion avoidance systems will become even more effective as from the summer of 2008. This innovative technology - which will be unveiled to the public at CeBIT - is based on the movement profiles of millions of mobile phones in the network.

CeBIT premiere: navigation via WLAN as opposed to GPS

Users of mobile navigation systems often encounter GPS reception problems in areas fringed by tall buildings. Against this background researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuitry (IIS) have come up with an autonomous WLAN localization system, which delivers a high degree of accuracy (three metres in buildings and seven to ten metres in the open air). This system detects private and commercial access points in the immediate vicinity, but does not actually log into their data networks. Hence no registration is required. "We benefit from the fact that towns and cities are now well-equipped with WLAN access points and that more and more mobile phones are now WLAN-compatible," explains Jürgen Hupp, Head of the Communication Networks Department at the IIS.

Experts predict a bright future for GPS-capable mobile phones

According to the Telematics Research Group, worldwide sales of mobile navigation devices and GPS-equipped mobile phones reached 50 million in 2007. This figure is expected to increase ten-fold by 2015. Experts predict a strong shift towards mobile phones. Thanks to their all-round connectivity, they are capable of integrating local information and user-generated content into the route-planning process - for example, recommendations for shops and restaurants. CeBIT 2008 - the world's largest ICT show - will highlight the latest developments in mobile navigation and communication.