News Release
VIA and ITRI Launch Advanced Telematics Concept Design
Enabling Enhanced On-Road Entertainment and Connectivity
Jointly developed by VIA and leading Taiwan research
institute ITRI, the telematics concept design powered
by the VIA Eden Platform is showcased at the 6th Asia
Pacific Intelligent Transportation Systems Forum &
Exhibition in Taipei
Taipei, Taiwan, 03 October 2003 - VIA Technologies,
Inc, a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip
technologies and PC platform solutions, and the Industry
Technology Research Institute (ITRI) of Taiwan, a primary
R&D center for industry in Taiwan, today announced
the innovative new telematics concept design based on
the VIA Eden Platform that will be displayed at the
6th Asia-Pacific Intelligent Transportation Systems
Forum & Exhibition in Taipei from October 6-9, 2003,
on the 1st floor of the Taipei International Convention
Center, TICC, booth Nos. 51-53 and 58-60.
The VIA Eden Telematics Platform developed by VIA and
ITRI extends the capabilities of modern vehicle computers
into the domain of x86 architecture, while allowing
compact, low power designs that can cope with the extreme
thermal conditions challenging vehicle computer market
design. This enables a new breed of digitally intelligent
telematics systems compatible across various markets,
including the consumer electronics and digital media
segments, with improved capabilities and features including
a real time operating system such as Microsoft®
Windows® CE, an entertainment center for radio,
TV, digital audio and video playback and even gaming,
a communication and information center for GPS navigation,
telecommunication, and news, traffic and weather updates,
and Internet browsing.
"We see telematics as a fast growing market with
huge potential for further expansion as car manufacturers
look to add value to both their luxury and mainstream
models by providing entertainment and Internet connectivity
applications with their vehicle computer systems,"
said Richard Brown, Associate Vice President of Marketing,
VIA Technologies, Inc. "Together, VIA and ITRI
have optimized the VIA Eden Telematics Platform to enable
car manufacturers to develop futuristic vehicle computers
that are compatible with advanced consumer electronics
and PC devices as well as the most popular PC software."
Aimed at providing a reference design that reduces
R&D costs and can be quickly and easily implemented
by car manufacturers, the joint effort by VIA and ITRI
is based on the state of the art native x86 technology
of the VIA Eden Platform that ensures compatibility
with a range of software and connectivity standards.
The result of this cooperation is a feature packed design
bursting with attractive applications for the end user.
"Telematics is an exciting new market for both
the automotive and IT industries and VIA will play a
leading role in enabling enhanced telematics design,"
commented Jet P.H. Shu, Deputy General Director, MIRL,
ITRI. "VIA has not only developed an efficient
small footprint hardware platform, they also provide
strong technical support that adds tremendous value
during the product development stage. ITRI will keep
working very closely with VIA because we believe that
our partnership will usher in a bright new era of ITS
and telematics technology that will benefit the industry
as a whole."
The VIA and ITRI Telematics reference design will be
adopted by a leading Taiwanese car manufacturer in models
set for release in the first half of 2004.
VIA Eden Platform Overview
The VIA Eden Platform features a low power, high performance
sixth generation processor core combined with the VIA
Apollo CLE266 North Bridge featuring integrated AGP
8X graphics, 3D/2D/video acceleration, integrated hardware
MPEG-2 decoder, support for DDR266 memory and ATA-133.
Also included is the highly integrated VIA VT8235 South
Bridge, with a full set of built-in networking, Super
I/O, connectivity and audio features, as well as a wide
range of companion chips that enable the convenient
and low cost integration of six-channel surround sound,
IEEE 1394, USB 2.0, TV-Out, and Ethernet PHY functions.
Featuring a powerful processor core available with
native x86 execution, 192KB full speed L1/L2 cache,
and support for MMX™ and SSE™ instructions,
the VIA Eden ESP processor delivers leading edge PC
application and Internet performance on an embedded
platform and is fully compatible with a complete range
of MicrosoftÒ WindowsÒ operating systems
as well as all leading versions of Linux. The VIA Eden
Platform's market-leading thermal characteristics make
it the ideal solution for ergonomic fanless system designs
for a variety of innovative, quiet, low profile and
small form factor devices that draw on the key features
of consumer electronics design and functionality.
With its rich levels of integration and multiple configuration
options, the VIA Eden Digital Media Platform not only
delivers unprecedented system design flexibility on
a native x86 embedded platform but also speeds up time
to market and minimizes product development and manufacturing
costs by reducing the number of discrete components.
The VIA Eden Platform is covered by a four year product
life cycle program, and is supported on a global basis
through VIA's worldwide operations.
About the Industry Technology Research Institute
(ITRI) of Taiwan
The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)
is a non-profit R&D organization engaging in applied
research and technical service. It was founded in 1973
by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) of Taiwan
to attend to the technological needs of Taiwan's industrial
development. ITRI has played a vital role in the transformation
of the economy from an agriculture-based model to an
industrial one. By year 2001 it has grown to a 6000
people operation, and serves as the technical center
for industry and an unofficial arm of the government's
industrial policies in Taiwan. Telematics in ITRI is
a major program to strengthen the technical bonds between
IT and the Auto industry. To implement a successful
transformation of IT technology into the Auto industry,
both sectors have taken the initiative to develop a
state-of-art Telematics system to promote national ITS
development in Taiwan.
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