The automotive and electronics worlds are meshing to an ever-greater extent. Convergence 2000 provides a forum in which engineers and related professionals who populate those worlds come together to explore just how "wired" the vehicle can become.

The "dramatic growth" of the Convergence conference and exposition is evidence that "automotive electronics continues to advance at a rapid pace, specifically in the areas of passenger convenience and safety," said Robert Oswald, Chairman, President, and CEO of Robert Bosch Corp. "Both automotive manufacturers and suppliers are focused on using electronics for applications such as infotronics, occupant protection, and 42-volt power generation as consumers demand more sophisticated systems within their vehicles."

Slated for Oct. 16-18, Convergence has grown so large that organizers have relocated it from the Dearborn Hyatt to the more spacious Cobo Center in downtown Detroit. "We've more than doubled the number of exhibitors," said Andrew Brown, Jr., Director of Engineering for Delphi Automotive Systems. He is serving as conference Vice Chairman and Exhibits Chairman for Convergence 2000, which is sponsored by the Convergence Transportation Electronics Association, SAE, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Delphi's Communiport Mobile Productivity Center. Visteon's telematics radio. The Palm computer featuring Siemens Quick-Scout software. Siemens Automotive integrated starter generator.

Convergence 2000, said Jim Mazurek, Manager of Interiors Marketing for Visteon Corp., "is all about marrying the consumer electronics market with the automotive market." With 6000 attendees expected, the conference and exposition will showcase more than 150 exhibits and more than 70 technical papers from industry professionals around the globe.

Although they may have different visions of the extent to which electronics will change the automobile, industry leaders agree that the end result will be greater customer satisfaction.

"Vehicles will have increasingly more electronics with additional computer power and Internet connectivity," said Lawrence Burns, Vice President of General Motors R&D and Planning. "Many of today's vehicle mechanical systems will be replaced by electrical systems that enhance driving performance and vehicle safety. Features may include adaptive cruise control, collision warning, lane-departure warning, voice recognition, keyless entry, and electrical steering.

"The vehicle will be transformed into an information/communications/entertainment hub, interchangeable with a customer's home or office environment. This will allow customers to have access to information and services anywhere, anytime.

"Using GM OnStar as the delivery system, GM vehicles will feature more and more on-vehicle infotainment, advanced navigation, route planning and guidance, and real-time traffic information capabilities. This will make driving easier and more secure, convenient, fun, and productive."

GM's approach to vehicle communication and infotainment systems focuses on driver safety, according to Burns. "Systems will be designed into the vehicle to ensure that the driver maintains hands-on-the-wheel and eyes-on-the-road posture," he said.

"GM is working with other automotive manufacturers worldwide through the Automotive Multimedia Interface Collaboration (AMI-C) to develop common hardware and software standards for connecting information and entertainment devices to vehicles," Burns continued. "These standards will enable suppliers to develop infotainment devices that operate in any vehicle, regardless of brand, increasing speed to market, reducing costs, and improving reliability."

In the view of James R. Hay, North America Marketing Manager, Electrical/Electronics & Polyester for DuPont Automotive, "Telematics, mobile communications, Internet access, and intelligent powertrains are all part of the wave of the future for 21st century vehicles. I'm expecting to see many suppliers focus on these technologies at Convergence 2000, but at DuPont, our efforts continue to reach beyond individual technological innovations by staying plugged into the industry as a whole.

"DuPont invests more than $1 billion per year globally in fundamental research, with much of that going to develop new materials to meet the rapidly changing needs of advanced automotive E/E applications. It's an exciting time to be in the automotive industry, but it requires fresh thinking from companies such as DuPont to keep ahead of the challenges.

"Automotive E/E applications demand materials innovations that open new doors for design flexibility while keeping costs in check. To meet and exceed these expectations, DuPont is providing new grades of Zytel DMX nylon, which offer superior electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI) shielding to improve the functionality of electronic devices."

The average electrical load in high-end vehicles is expected to exceed several kilowatts by 2005, and the current alternator/electrical system is incapable of supplying this load, according to Cary Wilson, Director of E/E Systems Engineering at Ford. "There is already international acceptance of a new 42-volt standard to help meet the challenge, and substantial progress is occurring in the development of new, more efficient alternator designs, combined starter/alternators, and the need for sophisticated energy/power management," she said. "It's not a matter of if, but when, 42-volt systems will become standard."

Andrew Brown, Jr., Director of Engineering for Delphi Automotive Systems.

Conference Quick-View What: Convergence 2000 When: Oct. 16-18 Where: Cobo Center, Detroit Who: Andrew Brown, Jr., Director of Engineering for Delphi Automotive Systems, is Vice Chairman of this year's event. Top-level engineers and executives from the automotive and electronics industries will participate in the SAE-cosponsored event. Why: To provide attendees with insight into the latest developments in electronics as it applies to the automobile and the automotive industry.

Mitsuhara Kato, Member of the Board of Directors in Japan for Denso Corp., envisions a world with "seamless communication between your car, your home, and your business. At Denso, we believe that your car is your world. Connectivity, standardization, and safety are keys to the realization of such a world.

"Hardware and software, and standardized wireless communication technologies must be available. For example, a well-designed safe in-vehicle HMI (human/machine interface) is important for a safe and comfortable drive. As one possible solution, Denso is strongly promoting smart voice technology not only for navigation, but also for future control systems.

"To share effectively a variety of information, a standard software platform is even more important," Kato added. "We are working with Microsoft Corp. on navigation systems that will run on the Windows CE for Automotive operating system. In addition to information sharing between car, home, and office, a range of drive-specific information such as traffic status and weather forecasts will make driving more comfortable. To make it possible, a new large-scale infrastructure should be created compiling and assembling data from vehicles. This concept of using a 'probe car' has already been realized on a small scale. We expect that Denso's accumulated expertise in ITS and ECU technologies will contribute to its realization."

Hironobu Ono, General Manager of the Electronics Engineering Division 2, Toyota Motor Corp., believes there will be significant improvements in information technology, driver assistance technology, and sustainable technology as part of a "global technological revolution" that relies on standardization and common usage to shorten development time.