Connected Auto Alliance formed by Convergence and PATH

The goal of the partnership will be to provide synergy and communications between academia, public institutions, automobile manufacturers and technology companies in the connected and autonomous vehicle industry.

Alliances between Convergence and PATH and the resultant web site, magazines and newsletters will serve a critical role in the connected and autonomous vehicle industry by providing a common platform for the stakeholders to share information and promote products to the engineering community and the public.

Tom West, the Co-Director of PATH, stated: "For over three decades, PATH has held the pole-position in intelligent transportation systems; pioneering new technologies and continually advocating for the use of innovation to improve transportation safety and mobility. At this point in the evolution from research to implementation, we fully understand the need to engage our technology partners at a deeper level. An alliance with Convergence will help further our mandate to develop and apply emerging ITS technologies to connected vehicle development."

Founded in 1986, PATH, a research and development program of the University of California, Berkeley, has been a leader in Intelligent Transportation Systems research ever since.

In collaboration with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), administered by the university's Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS), PATH is a multi-disciplinary program with staff, faculty, and students from universities worldwide and cooperative projects with private industry, state and local agencies, and non-profits.

For over 25 years, Convergence Promotions has been the premier supplier of partner programs and ecosystems for customers like Microsoft, Intel, ARM, Motorola, Freescale, NXP and other electronics companies in the industrial, Automotive, and other markets. Convergence outreach programs and media channels reach half a million engineers a month.

Glenn ImObersteg, the CEO of Convergence, said: "In Silicon Valley, processor, sensor, logic, telematics, operating systems and other technology companies have independently pursued their own vision of a connected car.”

“This independence has accelerated development at an incredible pace, but this somewhat insular approach is deleterious to the concept of a "Connected" vehicle operating in a truly connected environment,” he continued. “The Connected Auto Alliance will link the technology providers with each other and with departments like the DMV, DOT, initiatives like "Smart Cities" and academic centres in a coordinated effort, so that together with PATH we can overcome the challenges of connected and autonomous vehicles, and in the process, truly revolutionise mobility."