HITACHI & @ROAD PLAN WEB-ENABLED AUTO & PERSONAL LOCATOR IN JAPAN.

In a broad-based agreement announced jointly in Yokohama, Japan, and Fremont, Hitachi Software Engineering Inc., a subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., and @Road Inc., disclosed plans to introduce @Road's patented Web-enabled location technology in Japan.

Hitachi Software is a leading system integrator in Internet environment and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). @Road is a leading provider of location-specific e-commerce solutions.

The @Road platform integrates Global Positioning System (GPS), wireless data networks and the Internet to provide Web- and wireless-enabled productivity enhancement solutions for businesses with a mobile work force and for people on the move.

The @Road platform is capable of locating vehicles or other objects accurately and providing a wide range of real-time location and business information through the Internet.

The company's first application, FleetASAP, an online fleet management service, was introduced last year. It is already being used by business subscribers in the United States and Canada to improve productivity and increase profitability.

"The convergence of three proven technologies - GPS, wireless data and the Internet - offers a tremendous opportunity for businesses to improve the efficiency of their mobile operations," says Krish Panu, @Road chairman and CEO.