10Meters News Report

March 7, 2001 – A Baby Jag with safety-first antennas and an award-winning Aston Martin outfitted with smart tires are giving telematics a luxury-level headstart at Ford Motor Co.

Announced this week, the Jaguar X Type sedan will be updated with antennas from Andrew of Orland Park, Ill., a global supplier of communications systems equipment and services, to enhance the safety needs for both car and driver.

The products include a concealed bumper-mounted antenna system that provides clear RF signals for the in-car digital phone system (GSM900/1800 for Europe or AMPS/PCS for USA), and a glass-mounted cellular antenna and internal GPS antenna system that connect with the JaguarNetAssist service.

JaguarNet Assist automatically notifies a Jaguar Service Center if the car's air bag system is deployed. The system can also be accessed manually if the car breaks down. Both scenarios activate the GPS tracking system to alert emergency services. The system can pinpoint the car's location within a meter.

Combining Safety with Design

One tricky element of the antenna upgrade was fitting the technology into the Jaguar's sleek chassis. "As is to be expected, Jaguar's design criteria were stringent," noted Andrews' Rob Wood, European Business Development Manager for Andrews' wireless and in-building products group.

Adding to the task were specific technology needs. The in-car antenna system could not be installed near metal, because it disrupts RF transmissions. The solution: mounting the system behind the X Type's integrated rear bumper, which is formed from a composite material.

Then there were the crucial positioning antennas. "Because these antennas play a critical part in emergency recovery purposes, we wanted to locate the JaguarNet Assist antenna out of the impact zone. After extensive testing the rear screen was considered the best location," said Wood.

Jaguar will launch the car in Europe in June 2001 and the USA in July 2001.

Aston Martin Award for Smart Tires

The Aston Martin Vanquish won AutoWeek Editor's Choice Award for "Best in Show" at the Geneva Auto Show this week for its smart tire technology.

The Vanquish, as announced last fall, comes with a wireless tire pressure monitoring system from SmarTire of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.

The system uses RF-based sensors attached to each wheel that alert the driver – via both visual and audio alarms – if any change in tire pressure occurs.