STAR Extends Its Global Industry Reach with Latest Release

MCLEAN, Va., May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail (STAR), a global information technology (IT) standards body for retail automotive and related industries, has released a new major version of its transport specifications.

The STAR 2010 XML and DTS repository continued to be actively enhanced and developed by the membership. This new release had heavy influence not only from the Automotive, but also from our Heavy Duty Trucks, and Marine members as well.   Changes included more international requirements for Sales Lead, Parts Order, Parts Inventory, and Inventory Management.  Showing that STAR's growth and influence continues to increase internationally as well as domestically.

In addition, several enhancements have occurred in the Vehicle Remarketing BODs and Sales Lead BODs to support the marketing and selling of Yachts.

This release also marks the first time that the STAR Transport has been published at the same time as the XML repository.  

The STAR Web Service 4 specification now includes two levels of requirements:

• STAR Level 1 was published last year and is the minimum level required for interoperability.
• STAR Level 2 covers more advanced Service Oriented Architecture requirements, and provides more advanced security mechanisms.

In addition, STAR continues to actively partner with the Web Service Test Forum (http://www.wstf.org/) to provide public endpoints that can be used for testing various implementations of the new STAR Web Service specification.

About STAR

The Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail (STAR) organization is the information technology (IT) standards organization for retail automotive and related industries. STAR is leading the effort to implement voluntary IT standards throughout the automotive industry. These standards are designed to support business information needs and provide secure and reliable means for dealers, manufacturers, and retail system providers to communicate. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, STAR is a not-for-profit volunteer organization and its members include dealers, manufacturers and retail system providers. As members, these companies are interested in developing, promoting, and administering voluntary IT standards in the retail automotive industry and improving the effectiveness, timeliness and competitiveness of the IT solutions needed within the retail automotive industry.

For more information about STAR and a list of current members please visit www.starstandard.org.

SOURCE Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail