Harmonia Announces Membership in the Automobile Multimedia Interface Collaboration

BLACKSBURG, VA - June 24, 2002 - Harmonia, Inc. announced today its selection as a Contributing Organization to the Automotive Multimedia Interface Collaboration (AMI-C). Harmonia was selected for participation due to its expertise on creating user interfaces that work across multiple devices, using multiple types of interaction, in multiple spoken languages.

As member of the Human Machine Interface team at AMI-C, Harmonia lends its expertise to AMI-C's efforts to develop a common, open interface for electronic devices in automobiles. Harmonia's expertise in developing user interfaces for multiple devices and its experience with XML-based languages are of particular value in developing a standard that lets any supplier's device work seamlessly in any manufacturer's automobile with an AMI-C interface.

AMI-C's membership includes eight major automotive manufacturers. AMI-C is assisted in its work by numerous automotive suppliers and selected high-tech companies. Harmonia is the only Contributing Organization specializing in the development of multiple user interfaces on various platforms. Harmonia's membership means it is uniquely positioned to provide tools to make it easier for automotive manufacturers and suppliers to adopt the AMI-C specification and create AMI-C-compliant user interfaces.

AMI-C, a worldwide organization of motor vehicle manufacturers, is working to reshape the way automotive and consumer electronics systems interact with drivers through display screens, voice interfaces, tactile controls, and other facilities in automotive cockpits. The goal of AMI-C is to develop, promote and standardize a common, open interface for vehicles so that electronic devices (e.g., mobile phones, PDAs, compact disc changers, etc.) and services (e.g., navigation) can automatically configure and communicate with each other across different vehicle platforms. AMI-C's new automotive specifications will replace today's world in which complex and incompatible systems can only operate on a single vehicle.

Eight automakers are members of AMI-C: Fiat, Ford Motor Company, GM, Honda, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault, Nissan, and Toyota. In addition to Harmonia, AMI-C contributors include: AAA, ACUNIA, ALK Associates, Alpine Electronics, B2i, Delphi, Denso Corporation, Kshema Technologies, Mecel, Mindready, Molex, Motorola, Navigation Technologies Corp., Parrot, Sensoria Corp., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Sun Microsystems, Tata Elxsi, Toshiba KN Systems, Tyco Electronics, Visteon, Wipro Technologies, Xanavi, XM Satellite Radio, and Yazaki.

"Automakers spend a lot of effort on the human factor in designing automobiles and driver controls. Harmonia's name comes from our mission of creating harmony between people and computers, so that technology can fit people rather than the other way around. We hope to enable designers make new technologies entering automobiles focus on the driver," according to Harmonia's Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Marc Abrams. Dr. Abrams elaborates that, "In recent years, introduction of screen displays, traffic and navigation systems, cellular phones, voice interfaces, and telematics services have added complexity both to the job of the people that design these systems and to drivers. If Harmonia helps AMI-C to simplify the design and integration of these systems, then designers will be freed to concentrate on the usability, safety, and ergonomics of driver-automobile interfaces."

AMI-C Program Manager Pom Malhotra said the inclusion of software developers, automotive tier one suppliers, consumer electronics companies and service providers adds validation and acceptance to the AMI-C purpose of developing a common interface in the global automotive industry.

"Companies such as Harmonia will help to ensure the quality of AMI-C specifications and in return can be prepared to help those seeking to use the specifications," said Malhotra.

AMI-C is a global organization representing the majority of the world's vehicle production. AMI-C has been working since 1999 to develop, promote and standardize a common automotive multimedia interface for vehicle communication networks. For more information, visit AMI-C's web site at www.ami-c.org.

Harmonia pioneered the development of the User Interface Markup Language (UIML), a single XML-compliant language for authoring user interfaces for multiple platforms, from PCs to phones to automotive cockpits. Harmonia is the leading provider of tools for developing and deploying UIML-based user interfaces. Founded in 1999, Harmonia is based in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia. For more information, visit Harmonia's website at www.harmonia.com.