Fully Networked Car Workshop at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show

For the fourth year running, a major event focusing on information and communication technologies (ICT) in motor vehicles is being organized by ISO, IEC and ITU, working together as the World Standards Cooperation (WSC). The Fully Networked Car Workshop will take place on 4 and 5 March 2009 at one of the world's leading automotive events, the Geneva International Motor Show, in Switzerland.

ICT in vehicles represents a significant added value for consumers in terms of safety, comfort and mobility. Predictions of the size of the market run into billions of dollars and stakeholders agree that standardization and coordination between the vehicle and ICT industries is a key factor in the development of new technologies.

The workshop will bring together key specialists in the field, from top decision-makers to engineers, designers, planners, government officials, regulators, standards experts and others.

The programme features speakers from some of the biggest names in the ICT and automobile industries:

• Burkhard Göschel, CTO, Magna International
• Jürgen Leohold, Executive Director Group Research, Volkswagen
• Russ Shields, Chairman, Ygomi
• Tadao Saito, CTO, Toyota InfoTechnology Centre
• Hermann Meyer, CEO, ERTICO (ITS Europe).
• The Lightning Car Company will display its Lightning GT prototype electric sports car to give special emphasis to the environmental theme.

Presentations will bring light to some of the complex questions that the ICT and car industries are faced with. As was the case in 2008, a major topic will be ICT and climate change. Experts believe that more sophisticated traffic management and driver assistance systems can help reduce the environmental impact caused by motoring.

Other topics include:

• Standards and spectrum
• Car-to-X communications
• Nomadic devices
• Voice and audiovisual services
• Advance driver assistance systems
• Wireless technologies for car production lines
• Safety
• Security and privacy.

No color in sight: Black dominates on European roads

Henry Ford would be so proud! Check out this press release from Standox around the most popular automotive colour in Europe:

Black once again leads the table of the most popular automotive colors, accounting for 26 percent of all new cars sold. This is the result of the Standox survey of 2008 automotive color trends. For the second year running, black lies ahead of silver and grey ‑ and it has even extended its lead. In the luxury and SUV segment, black scored 38 and 41 percent, respectively. With the exception of minivans, the timelessly elegant color is the No. 1 in all segments.

The silver times are over. In the eyes of European motorists, technology and progress are increasingly expressed also by other colors. Silver, which had been the uncontested No. 1 for many years in a variety of variants, has lost in popularity against the previous year and no longer leads any of the segments.

Grey is the “new silver”
Various shades of grey remain very popular and are almost on a par with related silver shades. In the MPV segment, grey even made first place. In the increasingly popular SUV segment, grey has also surpassed silver. Grey now reflects modernity and technology in the way silver did in the 1990s and the first years of the new millennium.

Europeans love blue. Whether it’s light or dark, brilliant or subtle ‑ blue remains the most popular chromatic color for new cars. At 13 percent, it is also the only chromatic color that passed the ten percent mark. In view of the never-ending popularity of blues, Standox has even developed “Blue Flame”, a mysteriously changing special effect color in the Standox Exclusive Line, which gives every vehicle an unmistakable and unique touch.

White has become a high fashion color at least on UK and German roads. It is clearly on the advance throughout all segments. Statistically speaking, however, this does not apply to all of Europe, as the total number of white colors has increased by only one percent as compared to the previous year. But in the luxury, SUV and MPV segments, white is the No. 4 directly behind the other “neutrals”.

While red is somewhat more popular than in the previous years, as reflected in a score of seven percent, there is no clear upward trend. Although the color spectrum offers a wide choice, there are not many other colors on our roads. Having been a major fashion color in many spheres of life in recent years, orange has become a permanent fixture on our roads but is yet to make a dent in the statistics. According to the Standox experts, 2008 ‑ just like the previous years ‑ saw no clear trend towards distinct or different colors.

Automotive color trends change very slowly. It will probably take a few more years before fundamental changes in color preferences will be reflected in the statistics – although it is not even certain that the chromatic colors will win over the highly popular neutrals. According to the coloristic experts from Standox, this applies not only to Europe but worldwide.

Standox is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of automotive refinishing paints. With its headquarters in Wuppertal, Germany, the company offers innovative and environmentally compatible product systems worldwide. Standox seeks to build long term relationships with its customers based on premium product quality and high levels of practical support. Approvals from all major manufacturers reflect the company’s position as a leading partner to the automotive industry. As such, the Standox brand gives professional refinishers the assurance of perfect results every time.

MicroRepair – minor repairs for a great effect

It happens in every city every day: a moment of inattention and your car is marked by an ugly scratch or a small but obvious dent. Even though such minor incidents account for 20 to 30 percent of all vehicle damage, they often remain unrepaired as owners fear the presumed high cost. Luckily we now have state-of-the-art MicroRepair to remove such small flaws quickly, at low cost and to the highest levels of Standox quality. The advantages of such innovative repair procedures are obvious – motorists have less to pay compared to a conventional repair, they get their cars back fast and in perfect condition, and bodyshops can generate extra business.

A new information pack from Standox lays out the benefits, choices and conditions for a successful repair. The brochure, entitled “MicroRepair. Making minor damages a major source of profit“, introduces bodyshop professionals to the topic, shows the potential of reduced-cost minor damage repair and explains the conditions that need to be met. A CD is also available with two films showing MicroRepair’s easy and quick application – using both traditional Standox products and ultra-fast Standoflash UV products. The brochure includes a handy A4 guide with marking rings to assess the size of damaged areas; this makes it easy to decide whether a repair is suitable for MicroRepair when a car is brought in by a customer. The package is rounded off by an A2 size poster in that demonstrates all steps from damage assessment up to the finish.

Standox is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of automotive refinishing paints. The company headquartered in the German town of Wuppertal offers innovative and environmentally compatible product systems worldwide. Standox seeks to build long term relationships with its customers based on premium product quality and high levels of practical support. Technical approvals from all major manufacturers reflect the company’s position as a leading partner to the automotive industry. As such, the Standox brand gives professional refinishers the assurance of perfect results every time.

www.standox.com

Wow!!

It might be a gas guzzler but WOW!... Check out this photo one of my mates forwarded me in an e-mail... Yeah!

LINE-X Protective Coatings Announces Partnership with Insignia Group

“LINE-X’s success in the last fifteen years has been three-fold,” said LINE-X CEO John Q. Wesley II. “First we have unbelievable franchisees that really believe in the product and apply our coatings with great skill. Because of their great work, our customer base continues to grow and we have a LINE-X fan base that does not waver. Finally, our products withstand the test of time due to our diligent corporate team. Their commitment to our brand can be seen across the board and it makes me very proud to be a part of the LINE-X family.”

LINE-X specializes in spray elastomers, polyurethanes and polyureas that are a fast cure, multipurpose, series of coatings designed for a wide range of retail, commercial and industrial uses. They exhibit excellent adhesion to most properly prepared surfaces and with its fast cure time, LINE-X can be sprayed vertically and even overhead without running or dripping. Available in every color imaginable, LINE-X contains no solvents, which means there are no air pollutants or harmful environmental contaminates.

Since its inception, LINE-X has been applied to over 2.5 million trucks and the company continues to strives to develop first-class products designed to support the existing LINE-X spray-on bedliners, but also give their over 500 global franchisees an advantage over the competition. Such products include LINE-X ReNew™, the first and only product in the industry to completely resurface an entire bedliner repairing and restoring the bedliner to its original condition; LINE-X XTRA®, the only color composite coating fortified with DuPont™ Kevlar®; as well as superior equipment to make application time easier, quicker and most importantly, aesthetically sound.

EXPANDING INTO NEW MARKETS
LINE-X launched its LINE-X® Industrial Coatings Division (LICD) in 1999 and has developed a full range of polyurea and polyurethane coatings that have been extensively engineered and independently tested to ensure they provide superior protection for virtually any properly prepared surface, including metal, concrete, fiberglass and wood. LINE-X industrial coatings are perfect for companies who are serious about protecting and prolonging the life of their assets or seek long-term, often permanent solutions against abrasion, bomb blast, chemical spillage, corrosion, environmental elements, impact and workplace slippage. Due to their exceptional durability and quick application turnaround time, LINE-X industrial coatings are becoming increasingly popular throughout a wide range of commercial and industrial industries, including construction, manufacturing, mining, material handling, marine, municipal/outdoor facilities, petrochemical, plating, primary/secondary containment, transportation and more.

In 2000, LINE-X was first to develop and launch a bomb blast coating, PAXCON PX-2350, which has been recognized by the U.S. military and the defense industry for its high levels of protection, and has been approved for protection of the U.S. Pentagon, as well as other government, military and private buildings around the globe. Late last year, LINE-X added PAXCON PX-2100, a high-performance chemical formulation that protects against spalling and fragmentation during a ballistic attack, to the LINE-X roster. Both products have met and exceeded the testing requirements of several U.S. Military and private agencies, such as PX-2350’s 1999 Air Force Research Laboratory test, which concluded that LINE-X was statistically shown to outperform 27 other competitors in a series of tests that were designed to identify the spray-on coating that could mitigate the effects of a bomb blast on a building. Additionally, PAXCON PX-2100 was certified by H.P. White Laboratory, Inc., one of the oldest and most respected ballistic and research centers in the nation. Moreover, PX-2100 was also selected for anti-spalling protection by MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle manufacturers, the Pentagon’s top military personnel protection initiative. To learn more about PAXCON products or to see high-speed videos of the products in action, visit www.PAXCON.com.

INDUSTRY RECOGNITION
With a 92% customer satisfaction rating (2006 independent study), LINE-X has and continues to receive several awards recognizing its commitment to excellence, franchise network growth and more. For many years, LINE-X has secured top positions in the “Top New Franchises” and “Fastest Growing Franchises” awards by Entrepreneur Magazine. In 2000 and 2001, LINE-X was rated by INC. Magazine as one of the top 500 fastest growing private companies. Plus, LINE-X’s superior products continue to be noted in several trade publications, such as Four Wheeler, Popular Mechanics, Restyling, Street Trucks and Truckin’, as well as by national broadcast and print media.

About LINE-X
LINE-X is the industry leader in truck bed protection, offering specially formulated polymers that permanently bond to the truck’s bed for unmatched durability under the most extreme use. This high-quality, spray-on application contours to the shape of the truck bed to seal and protect it from weather, road grime, scratches, dents and most household chemicals, while adding an attractive finish that both protects and enhances the value of the vehicle. LINE-X products are also used in commercial, industrial, construction, agricultural, military, marine and custom applications. LINE-X also offers a Nationwide Limited Lifetime Warranty for spray-on bedliners throughout its network of more than 550 retail locations worldwide. For more information call 800-831-3232 or visit www.LineX.com.