HI Lisa,
So, you are the lady that asked the "impertinent" question regarding the spinoff? <G>
Nice to make your acquaintance. Also, apparently you were personally in attendance, and I paraphrased what I had been told about the meeting. I appreciate being corrected, because how Townsend responded is particularly relevant to the issues involved.
Unfortunately, I don't have any idea who the new TRW agreements are with, as this secrecy issue is equivalent to a State secret. Though we can all speculate...it is, after all, an activity for which licensing is unnecessary...I won't actively do it. From my standpoint, it is more important that we continually add platforms by various car companies. I would like ITS to be ubiquitous, and for auto "safety" to be thought of at the same time people think of Simula.
The question you raised about Mercedes is particularly important, however. It *is* my understanding that Mercedes was moving toward a "curtain" in order to avoid the appearance of "me, too" with the ITS, particularly since its domestic rival BMW was the first substantive user. This may (and I emphasize the word *MAY*) now be different, as there are new ITS's under development, with differing shapes *AND* with the potential to be integrated with a "curtain." The protection the curtain supplies is only marginal, as the ITS is really the relevant feature. But, if the car maker was concerned about looking "me, too", it could safely utilize one of the new ITS styles without it appearing to be that way.
Just food for thought. And, I know *nothing*.
Have a good day. And, thanks for the report from the "front." |
