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Meta System and Wavecom to jointly develop solutions for automotive telematics

Posted on: Tuesday, 5 May 2009, 07:00 CDT

REGGIO EMILIA, Italy and ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX, France, May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Meta System Spa and Wavecom today announced that they are collaborating to develop two joint automotive telematics solutions. The companies are both leading suppliers to the automotive market: Meta System, a MetaSystem Group company specializes in research, development and production of electronics applied to advanced safety systems for motor vehicle market, while Wavecom dominates the market for wireless communication solutions for the automotive industry.

The first joint solution is an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) platform for automotive telematics, with particular focus on the following functionalities: eCall (emergency call), stolen vehicle tracking, remote diagnostics and fleet management. A variant of the platform will integrate HSDPA/HSUPA technologies with the Wavecom Q26 Extreme product. The platform will permit high-speed connectivity and targets high-end telematics systems. Both variants are expected to launch in the third quarter of 2010.

In parallel, Meta System and Wavecom are jointly developing an optimized telematics on-board unit for the insurance market (Pay-Per-Use, Pay-As-You-Drive, Ecodriving, e-call and RoadCharging). The same unit can be used for tracking services or emergency calls. Customers will benefit from a considerable reduction in terms of size and weight with improved performance, easier, faster assembly, and the increased reliability afforded by the embedded SIM solution. The unit is expected to be on the market by the second half of 2009.

These two new projects come alongside an already existing collaboration between Meta System and Wavecom. Meta System is currently producing an on-board unit for the insurance market using the Wavecom Wireless Microprocessor(R), an industrial microprocessor with wireless modem functionality. The unit helps insurance companies reduce their repair and replacement costs. It provides undisputable accident data, which in turn reduces insurance fraud. It also enables the tracking of stolen vehicles, thereby improving the recovery rate.

Marco Achilli, Head of Marketing & Sales of Meta System Spa Automotive Division, says: "We are extremely pleased to have teamed up with the leading supplier of wireless technology to the automotive market. Wavecom has well established relationships with the majority of the European car makers and a very strong position as a Tier 2 supplier worldwide, with an innovative technology roadmap that will help us to remain at the forefront of the evolution of automotive telematics. We are particularly excited by the inSIM(R) embedded SIM technology, which we believe will set a standard in the automotive world, and by the Intelligent Device Services offering which enables the remote monitoring and configuration of installed on-board units as well as software upgrades over-the-air."

Pierre Piver, Vice President EMEA at Wavecom, comments: "We are very proud to have been selected by Meta System not only to supply the wireless communications technology, but also to contribute with our systems expertise to these new, exciting projects. Meta System has been designing innovative, reliable products for the world's leading automotive constructors for thirty-five years, and we are delighted to pool our own expertise with that of Meta System's top-notch R&D teams. With the combined experience of our two companies, we will be able to continue to provide the automotive industry with uniquely innovative, automotive-grade solutions, for the benefit of car makers, insurance companies and drivers alike."

About Meta System Spa

Meta System Spa, founded in 1973 in Reggio Emilia, specializes in research, development and production of electronics applied to advanced safety systems for the automobile, motorcycle and energy markets. The company collaborates with leading carmakers, for which it develops a wide range of solutions, including innovative telematic platforms. Dedicated to innovation, Meta System chairs and control every stage of the production process: from the initial idea to the end product, up to the implementation of production and logistic structures. The company belongs to MetaSystem Group Spa, a group of Italian companies that operates at the international level with branches and active partners throughout the world. In fiscal year 2007, the Group achieved a consolidated turnover of 190 million euros. For further information: www.metasystem.it.

Wavecom - the wireless M2M experts

Wavecom is a leading provider of embedded wireless technology for M2M (machine-to-machine) communication. We provide a range of GSM/GPRS, CDMA, EDGE and 3G Wireless CPUs; programmable processors which also act as wireless modules or wireless modems. These are backed by a C and Lua-based cellular wireless software suite which includes a real-time operating system (RTOS), a software development environment based on Eclipse(TM), and several Plug-Ins (GPS, TCP/IP, security, Bluetooth(TM), Lua script and more). We also offer a wide range of professional and operated services. Our solutions are used for automotive telematics, smart metering, fleet management, GSM/GPS/satellite tracking, wireless alarms, wireless POS (point of sales), WLL (fixed voice), remote monitoring and many other M2M applications.

Wavecom is wholly owned by Sierra Wireless Inc. (NASDAQ: SWIR - TSX: SW).

http://www.wavecom.com

SOURCE Sierra Wireless, Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

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