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To: Mark Oliver who wrote (6225)	5/25/1999 11:52:00 PM
From: Gandro	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10081

A sign of things to come Jeep Commander Says Plenty About Computer Technology Auburn Hills, MI, May 18. — A car pulls up next to yours at a stoplight, and the driver is carrying on an animated conversation with no one. The driver glances at you, continues talking to the air and drives away. A scene from "Seinfeld?" Nope. It's the very real world of the Jeep Commander and its voice-activated computer system. The Commander, DaimlerChrysler's concept sport-utility vehicle, features technology to read and send e-mail, set up appointments and activate the vehicle's security system — all with the sound of a voice. The driver's hands stay on the wheel and eyes remain on the road. The Commander system starts with a "docked" or removable laptop computer in the center console. Linked to a display on the instrument panel, the computer will provide wireless Internet access, including current traffic information and weather updates. The computer also delivers global positioning system (GPS) mapping, a security system, phone connections and mobile office functions, such as e- mail, a calendar and an appointment schedule. While the computer can be controlled with a keyboard, a number of functions can be activated by the sound of the driver's voice through a microphone on top of the Commander's instrument panel. For example, the driver can dictate a message and the computer will translate it to an electronic message and send it through the Internet. In the future, similar computers also will read e-mail aloud to the driver using text-to-speech technology. The same technology can be used to make and hear calendar appointments. Related Article: See an in-depth article on the Jeep Commander in the Features section.