The global auto industry is under extreme pressure to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Investments in XML and B2B technologies are paving the way to realizing significant savings by facilitating integration of supply chain & distribution chain partner business processes. Exploitation of these technologies by individual companies is key to competitive success.

This talk will describe a practical architecture and XML-based methodology being used by STAR [Standards for Automotive Retail]. This initiative, funded by auto OEMs to streamline transactions flowing between their operating units and the dealer networks, is using the Open Application Group's OAGIS Business Object Documents [BODs] and ebXML for their technical architecture.

Recognizing the value of collaborative efforts such as STAR is prompting the formation of several related efforts. In 2Q2002 the manufacturing side of the auto industry is launching an effort to rationalize B2B interaction in their "supply chain" through a program named AMDX -- that seeks to support both European and North American needs. In the same time frame, a group of major logistics services providers and shippers hope to streamline data flow between their in-house systems and those of their key clients.

These initiatives will be exploiting XML Schema, ebXML Messaging and ebXML BPSS protocols to define OAGIS compliant transactions and collaborations. All three will be based on cross-industry BODs that have significant application vendor support -- but will be extended to address unique industry and geography needs. All initiatives are tightly coupled to real-life deployments that will allow their sponsors to rapidly reap the benefits of XML and ebXML.

The work scope, methodology and current status of these three XML initiatives will be described in context to other industry initiatives [i.e. RosettaNet, ebXML] and related projects. Commercially available solutions based on this technology will be identified.