Telematics veteran to push ATX beyond embedded car systems

DALLAS-FORT WORTH, June 27, 2007 — A 15-year veteran of the vehicle telematics and location-based telecommunications industries, Shiva Kalisetty, has been tapped by ATX Group to expand telematics services beyond embedded automotive systems to various types of portable and desktop communications and navigation devices. ATX Group is the world’s largest independent telematics provider to the automotive and personal navigation device industries, serving both North America and Europe.

Kalisetty joins ATX as its Vice President of Business Development, leveraging his expertise in in mobile and embedded telematics and wireless devices, software, Internet services and e-commerce. He has extensive experience in conceiving and executing new business initiatives with public and startup companies.

Kalisetty was most recently responsible for business development and marketing of the location-based services product portfolio at Clarity Communication Systems. He built successful strategic partnerships with mobile carriers, content providers, telecommunication infrastructure vendors, GIS software providers, and handset manufacturers. Earlier in his career, Kalisetty spent over 13 years at NAVTEQ.

“Given the rapid expansion of telematics throughout the automotive industry, it is only natural that we would apply our decade of experience and customized service to the huge market potential of connected devices outside the vehicle,” said ATX President and CEO Steve Millstein.

ATX is rapidly deploying its T3, or third generation of telematics technology, which is gradually transforming the traditional telematics business model. T3 telematics will be marked primarily by data and virtual connectivity, transforming the vehicle into a voice browser, a data router, and a node on a primarily wireless data network. The result of T3 will be continual or “always on” real-time access to on-board and off-board information. The impact on the market will be a new incentive for additional vehicle manufacturers and other players – new to telematics – to enter the market, making their service bundle standard on every vehicle or device (such as personal navigation devices).

Kalisetty earned a B.S. in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering from Osmania University in India, an MS in Electrical & Systems Engineering from the University of Connecticut and an MBA with highest honors from Northwestern University 's Kellogg School of Management.