e.Digital Corporation (fka EDIG)

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"You name the automaker, we're working with them," said Raj Desai of IBM, which designed voice recognition for Mercedes' Tele Aid satellite tracking service. Desai said automobiles are central to IBM's e-business plans. "Cars are one of the places we spend time and don't do much today. If we can figure a way to do things safely, it will be a platform of the future."

Voice commands are a key feature of Motorola's iRadio, displayed at January's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The iRadio uses a cellular frequency to fetch Web content, then reads it to the driver using text-to-voice software. Motorola expects the device to hit stores within two years and sell for $650 to $850, with extra fees for personalized services. Think of audio tours from National Geographic, suggested Tim McCarthy, of Motorola's telematics division.

Designing systems that won't "detract from the driving experience" is the challenge, McCarthy said. That's the idea behind docking ports that plug Motorola phones into stereos of Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar cars. When calls interrupt the music, he said, these TimePort and CPT 8000 systems automatically adjust call volume to comfortable levels. McCarthy expects every car will be equipped for mobile communication in five years.