Date: Feb 24, 2011 Source: Guelph Mercury (
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WATERLOO — A Waterloo company whose technology turns emails into voice mails for motorists has acquired an Atlanta company that provides wireless road traffic reports.
Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. (IMS) said it plans to upgrade its automotive voice mail system following the recent acquisition of Intellione. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
IMS makes a device called iLane that reads incoming emails to drivers and enables them to respond using their voices. The platform also provides vocal access to other smartphone features such as calendar appointments, news, weather and sports.
The company plans to integrate Intellione's traffic-congestion reports into iLane and a second product made by IMS called DriveSync, which monitors driver behaviour and vehicle location.
Following completion of the transaction, Intellione will be known as Urban Informatics Corp., IMS said in a news release.
Otman Basir, chief executive officer of IMS, said the acquisition of Intellione, founded in 1999, and its "leading traffic technology" is exciting news.
"There is significant demand for reliable, accurate and timely traffic information for drivers, and we are now positioned to offer even more value to our connected-car portfolio," he said in the release.
The Urban Informatics team will remain in Atlanta and David Winters, former chief executive officer of Intellione, will become its general manager.
"We expect to grow the team (in Atlanta) to meet the increased demand for real-time and accurate traffic solutions," Ken Truffen, vice-president of marketing at IMS, said in an email.
Founded in 1999, IMS is located at 435 King St. N. in Waterloo and has more than 100 employees.
