Looking back when the International Forum on Advanced Microsystems for Automotive Application (AMAA) started, enormous progress has been made in reducing casualties, emissions and in increasing comfort and performance. Microsystems in many cases provided the key functions for this progress. Although the issues the event concentrated on didn t change significantly (safety, powertrain, comfort, etc.), considerable shifts of technological paradigms and approaches can be stated.

The future of microsystems will consist of integrated smart systems which are able to diagnose a situation, to describe and to qualify it. They will be able to identify and mutually address each other. They will be predictive and therefore they will be able to decide and help to decide. Smart systems will enable the automobile to interact with the environment, they will perform multiple tasks and assist a variety of activities. Smart systems will be highly reliable, often networked and energy autonomous.

There is a coincidence of the AMAA objectives and those of EPoSS, the European Technology Platform on Smart Systems Integration, contributing intensively to the development of automotive-specific smart systems. You will find a series of the EPoSS items in the programme of the 11th AMAA, which continues to be a unique exchange forum for companies in the automotive value chain.

The publication in hand also reflects these issues. It is a cut-out of new technological priorities in the area of microsystems-based smart devices and opens up a mid-term perspective of future smart systems applications in automobiles.

Additional information is available on www.amaa.de"

Since 1995 the annual international forum on Advanced Microsystems for Automotive Applications (AMAA) has been held in Berlin. The event offers a unique opportunity for microsystems component developers, system suppliers and car manufacturers to show and to discuss competing technological approaches of microsystems based solutions in vehicles.

The book accompanying the event has demonstrated to be an efficient instrument for the diffusion of new concepts and technology results. The present volume including the papers of the AMAA 2005 gives an overview on the state-of-the-art and outlines imminent and mid-term R&D perspectives. The 2005 publication reflects - as in the past - the current state of discussions within industry. More than the previous publications, the AMAA 2005 "goes back" to the technological requirements and indispensable developments for fulfilling the market needs. The large part of contributions dealing with sensors as well as "sensor technologies and data fusion" is exemplary for this tendency.

In this context a paradigm shift can be stated. In the past the development focused predominantly on the detection and processing of single parameters originating from single sensors. Today, the challenge increasingly consists in getting information of complex situations with a series of variables from different sensors and in evaluating this information. Smart integrated devices using the information deriving from the various sensor sources will be able to describe and assess a traffic situation or behaviour much faster and more reliable than a human being might be able to do.

Additional information is available on www.amaa.de

The upcoming change of costumers' preferences and state regulations towards safety, sustainability and comfort of a car is calling the automotive industry to make the necessary innovations available in order to accelerate its pace on the way out of the economic crisis. Smart miniaturized systems and ICT based solutions are considered the key enablers of future mobility technologies like novel power train concepts including electrical traction, cooperative safety systems, advanced driver assistance systems as well as car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communication.

The International Forum on Advanced Microsystems for Automotive Applications (AMAA) has been an exclusive showroom of R&D activities in this domain for more than a decade. In 2009 its topic is "Smart Systems for Safety, Sustainability, and Comfort." The papers published in this book were selected from more than 40 submissions. Highlights include contributions on the scope of two European projects related to the Green Car, EE-VERT aiming at the development of energy-efficient vehicles for road transport, and E3Car doing research on nanoelectronics as a key enabler of electrical vehicles. Furthermore, several authors are reporting first results of the INTERSAFE-2 project that is dealing with cooperative intersection safety. Likewise prominent topics are a detector for left-behind occupants, novel driver assistance systems and several other highly integrated components for various applications in the automobile.

Additional information is available on www.amaa.de

The automobile of the future has to meet two primary requirements: the super-efficient use of energy and power and the ultra-safe transportation of people and goods. Both features are increasingly enabled by smart, adaptive and context aware information and communication technologies (ICT), elect- cal or electronic components and systems rather than solely by the mecha- cal means of classic automotive engineering. The most advanced example of this trend is the electrified vehicle combining a full electric powertrain with completely electronic controls like smart power and energy managers, ste- by-wire technologies and intelligent networking capabilities allowing all p- viders and consumers of energy to work in efficient synergy. In the course of this year the first series production electric vehicles will finally come into the market. Automakers - unsure if electric vehicles would really sell - have long time been hesitant to make the necessary changes of their product portfolios. In the coincidence of economic crisis and growing concerns about global warming and energy security companies and public authorities jointly succeeded to overcome many obstacles on the path towards electrifi- tion.

Microsystems are an important factor that contribute to an automobile model's success. To meet the customer's desire for safety, convenience and vehicle economy, and to satisfy environmental standards, microsystems play a critical factor. Microsystems applications (MST) have already resulted in improved performance and better value for money. But the advances implemented reveal only the beginning of a revolution in the vehicle sector, which aims at a complete transition from the mechanically driven automobile system to a mechanically based but ICT-driven system. The selected contributions from AMAA 2003 treat safety (both preventive and protective), powertrain (online measurement and control of engine and transmission subsystems), comfort and HMI (systems to enhance the comfort of passengers and human machine interface issues), and networked Vehicle (all aspects of intra car systems and ambient communication networks).

Microsystems applications (MST) in automobiles have become commonplace: they enable the introduction of a series of new functions and at the same time the replacement of existing technologies offering improved performance and better value for money. Microsystems are indispensable for fulfilling a complete transition from the mechanically driven automobile system to a mechanically based but ICT-driven system as part of a likewise complex environment. With the introduction of micro-systems a series of challenges arise regarding complexity, systems design, reliability, serviceability, etc. These challenges have to be addressed in order to meet high customer expectations concerning performance and price.

This stimulating and inspiring book explores the present and anticipates the future of Automotive Microsystems. The past decade has seen enormous progress in the use of automotive microsysems; their effect has been dramatic in reducing casualties, controlling emissions and increasing passenger comfort and vehicle performance. The book is a snapshot of new technological priorities in microsystems-based smart devices that offers a mid-term perspective on coming smart systems applications in automobiles.

Since 1995 the annual international forum on Advanced Microsystems for Automotive Applications (AMAA) has been held in Berlin. The event offers a unique opportunity for microsystems component developers, system suppliers and car manufacturers to show and to discuss competing technological approaches of microsystems based solutions in vehicles.

The book accompanying the event has demonstrated to be an efficient instrument for the diffusion of new concepts and technology results. The present volume including the papers of the AMAA 2005 gives an overview on the state-of-the-art and outlines imminent and mid-term R&D perspectives. The 2005 publication reflects - as in the past - the current state of discussions within industry. More than the previous publications, the AMAA 2005 "goes back" to the technological requirements and indispensable developments for fulfilling the market needs. The large part of contributions dealing with sensors as well as "sensor technologies and data fusion" is exemplary for this tendency.

In this context a paradigm shift can be stated. In the past the development focused predominantly on the detection and processing of single parameters originating from single sensors. Today, the challenge increasingly consists in getting information of complex situations with a series of variables from different sensors and in evaluating this information. Smart integrated devices using the information deriving from the various sensor sources will be able to describe and assess a traffic situation or behaviour much faster and more reliable than a human being might be able to do.

Additional information is available on www.amaa.de

The current economic crisis is cutting the automotive sector to the quick. Public authorities worldwide are now faced with requests for providing loans and accepting guarantees and even for putting large automotive companies under state control. Assessing the long-term benefits of such help and wei- ing the needs of different sectors against each other poses a major challenge for the national policies. Given the upcoming change of customer preferences and state regulations towards safety, sustainability and comfort of a car, the automotive industry is particularly called to prove its ability to make nec- sary innovations available in order to accelerate its pace to come out of the crisis. Consequently the Green Car is assuming a prominent role in the current debate. Various power train concepts are currently under discussion for the Green Car including extremely optimised internal combustion engines, hybrid drives and battery-electric traction. Electrical cars are the most appealing option because they are free of local emissions and provide the opportunity to use primary energy from sources other than crude oil for transport. Well to wheel analysis show that their green-house gas emissions can be rated negligibly small if electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar is used.

From the beginnings of the International Forum on Advanced Microsystems for Automotive Application (AMAA) to the recent 11th AMAA Forum, enormous progress has been made in reducing casualties, emissions and in increasing comfort and performance. In many cases Microsystems provided key functions for this progress. This publication is a cut-out of new technological priorities in the area of microsystems-based smart devices, taking a mid-term perspective of future smart systems applications in automobiles.

With the total number of vehicles steadily increasing and soon approaching one billion, the world is facing serious challenges in terms of both safety of road transport and sustainability. Consequently the two major persistent issues for the automotive industry are improved safety and reduced emissions.

The integration of complex microsystems with enhanced intelligence, so-called smart systems has enabled an increase of efficiency of the previously dumb internal combustion engine by on average 1% annually during the last 20 years. In the future, smart systems may help to leverage novel powertrain concepts towards the zero emissions vehicle. Particularly for electric vehicles, anticipatory power management and efficient driving assistance by smart systems will be needed to overcome the range limitations. Adaptive systems predicting the energy demand for a chosen route will help the driver to increase energy efficiency. Networked devices for car-to-car communication could help to avoid the waste of energy due to unnecessary braking and accelerating. Intelligent systems for tire monitoring and control deserve special attention since insufficient tire pressure accounts for more than 3% of the efficiency losses in the car. Future electrical in-wheel motors require new miniaturised functionalities enabled by advanced micro- and smart systems.

The conference book in hand is a showroom of activities, the AMAA has been known for during the last 12 years: advanced sensors even including one based on the giant magneto resistance (GMR) effect a finding for which two European physicists were awarded the Nobel prize, recently several camera and radar systems making road traffic safer by assisting the driver in recognizing pedestrians and obstacles, and human-machine interfaces based on the recognition of hand gestures - a striking example of how smart systems will further enhance the usability of vehicles and the comfort of driving.

Additional information is available on www.amaa.de