NAVTECH® TO SUPPLY ROUTE GUIDANCE INFORMATION TO CLARION AUTOPC

Posted On:
January 13, 1998

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - January 8, 1998 - Navigation Technologies Corporation (NavTech) and Clarion Corporation of America announced at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that they will worktogether to offer the NAVTECH database to work in conjunction with theClarion® AutoPC. The Clarion AutoPC is the first product that integratescar audio, computing functions, navigation and wireless communicationsthrough hands-free voice activation into a 1-DIN unit in the dash of anautomobile. The Clarion AutoPC is powered by the Microsoft Windows CEoperating system.

NavTech, the leader in turn-by-turn map databases for in-vehicle systemsfor both North America and Europe, will work directly with Clarion toensure the availability of route guidance information for majormetropolitan areas across the United States.

"NavTech is excited to be at the forefront with Clarion in bringing thisapplication and functionality to the travelling public," said RonBrumback, President and Chief Operating Officer, NavTech. "We share thevision of delivering superior technology to drivers and see the AutoPCas a product with immense potential."

The Clarion AutoPC was designed with safety, efficiency and conveniencein mind. The unit recognizes over 200 simple voice commands, allowingconsumers to interact with the unit without ever taking their eyes offthe road. With its text-to-speech application, the Clarion AutoPC canprovide status information and assistance, such as turn-by-turndirections or E-mail alerts, through "speech synthesis" and textinformation presented on the unit's display.

"The Clarion AutoPC delivers an innovative suite of offerings todrivers," said Terence Mullin, Vice President of Marketing and BusinessDevelopment, Advanced Technology Division, Clarion. "We expect thatdrivers will welcome a system that can grow according to their needs andbecause route guidance is a core function of the Clarion AutoPC, Clarionturned to NavTech for its expertise in providing navigation data."

To make finding directions easier, the Clarion AutoPC comes standardwith a basic point-to-point navigation system that provides routecalculation from a user specified starting location and destination, aswell as accurate turn-by-turn directions. Other built in applicationsinclude an address book, mileage log and a hands-free voice memofeature.

The Clarion AutoPC will be shipping in limited quantities in spring 1998with mass production beginning in June 1998.