TomTom, the world’s leading provider of location and navigation solutions, announces the availability of its latest digital map products, including Tele Atlas MultiNet® 2010.06. With this release, the company’s navigable map products now cover more than 32 million kilometers (20 million miles) across 102 countries and territories globally.

The company’s digital map database is the only one in the world that is constantly validated by tens of millions of drivers who use it in GPS devices, smartphone applications and online. Nearly half a million edits were sourced from community input in the latest release, verified through stringent review processes and incorporated in this map product release, which pushes the company’s cumulative community input enhancements over two million.

TomTom continues to demonstrate its commitment to delivering the highest quality map coverage across all regions with the 2010.06 release, with updates including:

• The launch of MultiNet in Nigeria and Uruguay;
• Expanded navigable coverage for Chile and Niger via ConnectPlus™, a map product developed to meet market demand for navigable coverage in new geographies;
• Fully attributed street network coverage added for four new cities in Mexico; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Buenos Aires, Argentina;
• Significant coverage enhancements in:
• Russia: Street network upgraded to fully attributed coverage in four cities; addition of more than 300,000 precise address points for more accurate routing;
• Greece: Street network upgraded to fully attributed coverage in 203 municipalities and
• India: Street network coverage expansion reaching 80% of India’s urban population; Street network upgraded to fully attributed coverage in twenty-four cities.
• The latest maps further demonstrate TomTom’s ability to leverage community input as an innovative way to enhance map products. For the latest release, anonymous GPS measurements have:
• Increased the road network extensively in several countries, including additional road network geometry in Canada (2,500 km), Poland (4,000 km), and Romania (5,000 km);

Enabled the delivery of Speed Profiles in Greece, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa this quarter. Speed Profiles is derived from aggregating and processing more than two trillion GPS measurements, helping drivers to identify optimal routes and more accurately estimates travel times.
Additionally, TomTom’s latest map products continue leveraging anonymous GPS measurements to further build gradient content across more than 1.5 million km of highways and lower class roads in North America and Europe. With enriched granularity and completeness, TomTom’s location and navigation content and services are differentiated with highly precise, accurate content that can enhance ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) applications and solutions developed by its industry partners.

“TomTom remains the world leader in producing high quality digital maps because of our commitment to delivering the most up-to-date location and navigation content available globally,” said Peter Davie, Director of Product Management at TomTom. “The company is focused on meeting our global customer needs with the continued addition of advanced map features in markets where our map product coverage is mature and continued expansion in developing markets.”

How TomTom Maps are Made

TomTom has the only digital map database in the world that is updated daily with the insight of a community of millions of GPS system users worldwide, who along with the company’s unmatched network of sources help to track and validate changes. To date, TomTom has validated and processed more than more than two million edits sourced from this group of users, the largest GPS data collection community in the world.

To update its maps, TomTom captures and verifies changes from a comprehensive network of global sources, ranging from government documents and public safety officials to construction companies, professional truck drivers, its own drivers, proprietary mobile mapping van technology, as well assatellite and aerial imagery. By validating and adding contributions from individual drivers as an additional source, TomTom is able to increase the total number of changes identified by its network, particularly in geographically dispersed and rural areas covered less frequently by other data sources. This community input is backed by stringent review and validation processes and further enables TomTom to create fresher, higher quality maps and deliver a better experience for end users of its maps.

Kenwood has begun shipping the first five-channel amp in its Excelon Reference Fit series of compact car audio amplifiers intended for installation in small spaces.

The series expands to three models with the launch of the $600-suggested XR-5S, which is Kenwood's only five-channel amp and is promoted as the industry's most powerful five-channel amp for its size. The amp delivers 4x80 watts RMS into 4 ohms plus 1x350 watts from its 2.2-inch by 9.25-inch by 7.56-inch chassis. It also features continuously variable low-pass filter (50Hz to 200Hz) and continuously variable high-pass filter (50Hz to 200Hz).

The other two amps in the series, both at $600, include the XR-1S, which is Kenwood's smallest mono-block amplifier ever. It delivers 600 watts (RMS) at 4 ohms and 700 watts (RMS) at 2 ohms, with a peak power rating of 1,600 watts. The other amp in the series is the four-channel XR-4S, rated at 4x120 watts (RMS) at 4 ohms, 4x150 watts (RMS) at 2 ohms, and 2x300 watts (RMS) bridged at 4 ohms.

TXR-5S shipments follow last month's shipments of Kenwood's first two mech-less head units, the $500-suggested KIV-BT900 and $450-suggested KIV-700. They lack CD or DVD transports but play back audio and video content stored on connected iPods, iPhones, other-brand MP3 players, and USB sticks. Their 3-inch color TFT displays show full song, artist and album text as well as large-format, full-color album art. The displays also show video, which also appears on optional connected rear-seat monitors.

The head units come with 512MB of embedded flash memory to store content transferred through its USB input. Both are satellite radio- and HD Radio-ready, and they come with remotes.

Both models deliver the same performance and features, but the $500 models comes with built-in Bluetooth for hands-free dialing, and the $450 model requires a $180 hideaway Bluetooth module for hands-free dialing. And both play MP3, WMA, AAC and WAV audio. They play MPEG4, WMV and H.264 video, and they display JPEG and BMP images.

OnStar and Google have reached an agreement that will let OnStar users search for and identify destinations using Google Maps and send those destinations to the Turn-by-Turn Navigation Service in their vehicles.

OnStar eNav, a feature of Turn-by-Turn Navigation, will become available through Google Maps at the end of this month. Drivers can access the destinations whenever they choose and get OnStar Turn-by-Turn directions to the destination from wherever they are.

Turn-by-Turn Navigation is the most widely available built-in navigation system in the automotive market today.

“eNav is a perfect solution for subscribers who like the flexibility of being able to use Google Maps to plan their trips in advance, but without the hassle of bringing printed maps into the vehicle,” said Nick Pudar, OnStar vice president of new business development.

“The eNav feature of our Turn-by-Turn service allows drivers to keep their eyes, hands and minds where they need to be – on the road,” Pudar said. “And if they ever need help on the road, they can always just push the Blue OnStar Button to speak to a live advisor.”

The Google Maps option will be available on all current Turn-by-Turn capable GM vehicles starting with the 2006 model year and also will integrate with OnStar Destination Download to send destinations directly to the vehicle’s screen-based navigation system.

This follows last month’s announcement in which OnStar and Google demonstrated mobile mapping and location functions for the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle that leverage the Google Android platform.

For the 2011 model year, OnStar Directions and Connections service is standard on all OnStar-equipped, GM retail vehicles. General Motors is the only auto manufacturer to offer navigation standard across all price points and all vehicle segments. Since launch, OnStar has delivered more than 54 million Turn-by-Turn Navigation routes, currently averaging more than 1.4 million per month.

OnStar, the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and communication services, also announced today that it has been honored with the Best Use of Telemetric Technology in the Public Sector award at the Telemetric Update conference in Detroit.

As thousands of emergency communication professionals gather in Indianapolis June 5-10 for the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) 2010 conference, Ford is announcing new capability for the SYNC 911 Assist™ application: the communication of a vehicle’s location using GPS coordinates provided to emergency responders.

The nonsubscription-based app remains available to customers at no additional cost; providing emergency operators access to GPS coordinates of a vehicle, another important tool that could help first responders reach the scene of an accident faster.

“Ford is committed to continuously enhancing the owner experience, and SYNC is a key part of that strategy,” said Doug VanDagens, director, Ford Connected Services. “SYNC 911 Assist is free for the life of the vehicle, and now we’re making it perform even better. That adds unexpected value and peace of mind for the customer.”

Available with certain 2011 model year vehicles, the GPS coordinates are generated by the vehicle’s onboard GPS receiver for additional accuracy.

“SYNC 911 Assist calls already come in on priority emergency lines, due to the call being placed from the customer’s personal cell phone versus an intermediary call center,” said Dave Hatton, global product leader/electrical engineer with Ford Connected Services. “Currently, 911 Assist is designed to provide location information to emergency service providers through assisted GPS or signal triangulation – the same system providers rely on when dispatching help to mobile phone user emergency calls.

“The new system is designed to provide coordinates through the onboard GPS receiver in addition to assisted GPS, which adds an even greater level of location accuracy.”

Unlike competitive offerings that require customers to subscribe and pay a monthly fee for such accident assistance, Ford 911 Assist remains a nonsubscription-based, no-cost feature of the SYNC system that uses a customer’s existing mobile phone. The fee-free service is available in both the U.S. and Canada.

When the feature is turned on and a phone is Bluetooth-paired to SYNC, 911 Assist can make a call directly to a local emergency operator in the event of an accident involving the activation of an airbag or emergency fuel pump shutoff. With the GPS capabilities, the system is designed to not only alert the operator that a crash has occurred in a Ford vehicle, but to give the operator the option to retrieve the vehicle’s GPS coordinates.

The call is fast, direct, and doesn’t involve a separate call center or intermediary.

“Integrated GPS is a logical next step for 911 Assist, leveraging the GPS hardware that is now included with SYNC,” said Gary Jablonski, manager for the Ford Infotainment Product Development Team. “That’s the beauty of the SYNC platform – it can quickly adapt to and accommodate new technologies, features and services that provide great value to customers without great additional costs.”

The wireless world

The 911 Assist with GPS update comes as telecoms in both the U.S. and Canada continue to improve their respective capabilities, allowing emergency operators to receive not only a caller’s wireless phone number, but the caller’s location information as well. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), an estimated 240 million calls are made to 911 in the U.S. each year. One third of those are wireless calls; in many communities, that number is one half or more.

“911 Assist with GPS can be useful for those calls where location information is still not available, or if the operator wants to double-check for accuracy,” added Hatton.

Keeping a pulse on the needs of customers as well as the emergency services community, Ford continues to work with nonprofit agencies such as NENA and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International as it develops other potential enhancements to 911 Assist.

911 Assist with GPS will be available on most SYNC-equipped 2011 vehicles, including the Ford Taurus, Focus, Flex, Fusion, Escape and F-150; as well as the Lincoln MKS, MKZ and MKT.

Vehicles featuring the new MyFord or MyLincoln Touch™ driver connect technology will also have the updated 911 Assist GPS capabilities, and offer customers a number of other emergency service options. A priority emergency screen, for example, will contain location information and quick-touch access to In Case of Emergency (ICE) contacts at the completion of a 911 Assist call

At the D8 conference on Thursday, Ford Motor Company chief executive Alan Mulally spoke about how computing power is coming to cars, how Ford wants to enable consumer electronics but wants to focus on vehicles instead, and how it wants to lead in electric cars.

Mulally said he sees some drivers play with their devices and do dangerous things like texting while driving. The best thing Ford could do for the consumer is to manage the user interface, he said, so that drivers can keep "their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road."

To do this, the company developed its "Sync" system in conjunction with Microsoft, plus the "MyFord Touch," its touchscreen method for controlling automotive features, replacing the traditional console displays.

While the system does some speech recognition now, Mulally said the company is waiting to do more until the technology improves: He doesn't want technology that might give wrong results and confuse drivers.

One difference in Ford's approach compared with many of the other car makers was that it isn't trying to provide all the solutions, but instead works with end users' own phones and music players By having an open architecture and APIs, Sync can support more applications, such as Pandora. Ford needs to work with the developers, though, to make sure the applications didn't interfere with the driving experience.

Mulally mentioned that Ford isn't that concerned about building a business model to sell services; instead, the company is laser-focused on building great vehicles. Car technology is changing, and Mulally is particularly bullish on electric cars. He believes that batteries are a challenge, as they need to get lighter while storing more energy, but the infrastructure is an even bigger issue. He mentioned the need for recharging stations in many more places (especially with a need to use 220V or more to make charging faster) and for a smart grid that would enable different pricing at different times.

Mulally wouldn't give a date when he thought most cars would be electric, but said he expected Ford will be a leader in getting there.

He also spoke about other technology, such as back-up cameras, sensors that detect cars in other lanes, and that look for cross traffic when you are backing out of a parking space. Ford is focused in bringing this technology to a mass market.

Regarding the bailouts of GM and Chrysler, Mulally testified in favor of them, because if those companies had gone into bankruptcy , they would have taken the supply chain with them and perhaps turned the recession into a depression. But he did say he envisioned that it would be a short-term fix, not that the government would own those businesses going forward.

Finally, Mulally spoke about focusing on the Ford brand (divesting other brands Ford owned, phasing out Mercury, and re-emphasizing Lincoln), and noted that he was not only driving Ford cars but his competitors as well to benchmark against them.

Tele Atlas, the world leader in high quality digital maps and dynamic content, and Nav N Go, a leading navigation solution provider for the wireless, automotive and personal navigation industries, have announced an extended global agreement through which Nav N Go will continue using Tele Atlas maps and innovative products such as Tele Atlas Speed Profiles, Logistics (truck/fleet vehicle attributes) and Advanced City Models. The agreement marks an extension of the companies' longstanding collaboration, which began in 2004 and has seen Tele Atlas power a wide range of Nav N Go navigation solutions for PNDs, smartphones and built-in car navigation systems.

Through the agreement, Tele Atlas maps and content will also be featured in Nav N Go's new premium software iGO primo, an easy-to-use navigation solution that features the company's latest technological advancements. iGO primo will leverage Tele Atlas Advanced City Models 3D display content and benefit from the expansion of 3D coverage to more cities in Europe and around the world; this innovative 3D content is also featured in Nav N Go's iGO amigo and Nav N Go iGO 8 applications. iGO primo further features a new Smart Route calculation, which offers optimal routes depending on the time of day and day of the week based on Tele Atlas's Speed Profiles historical speed database. With Tele Atlas Logistics, iGO primo is able to meet the unique requirements of route planning for commercial vehicles such as trucks and vans.

"With the release of iGO primo, Nav N Go is delivering an advanced and exciting feature set to discerning end-users who seek the utmost in quality and content," said Peter van der Fluit, Senior Vice President of TomTom's Licensing Business Unit. "We are pleased to be able to extend this collaboration to support Nav N Go's most recent navigation software with our global maps and broad range of content."

"Following the launch of iGO primo at CeBIT 2010, this sophisticated and technologically advanced product quickly turned into the most sought-after software in our product portfolio," said Tamás Vahl, Chief Executive Officer at Nav N Go. "Thanks to the integration of Tele Atlas' rich product portfolio into a software product that profits from five years' experience in the navigation industry, the first of our numerous global partners will shortly launch competitive navigation devices in their regional markets and demonstrate the capabilities of iGO primo to meet every manufacturer's unique requirements."

Pioneer has added a second DVD-equipped navigation unit with the ability to control Pandora's music-service app installed on a cable-connected iPhone.

Due to strong demand for bringing Internet radio to the car, this flagship A/V nav unit, the $1,599-suggested AVIC-Z120BT, ships in June to join the $1,349-suggested 100 AVIC-X920BT, which shipped in April. Both are double-DIN units.

With either head unit, consumers control the iPhone-installed Pandora app from the head unit's controls and view a Pandora menu and metadata on the head units' screen. On the screen, consumers see detailed track information and album art. With the head unit's controls, consumers rate a song with a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down," bookmark a song or artist, skip the currently playing track, and change Pandora stations.

The new model features a motorized high-resolution 7-inch WVGA touch screen display, 3D graphics accelerator, onscreen iPod/iPhone control, and inputs to connect outboard satellite radio and HD Radio tuners. Other key features include built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling and wireless music streaming from a handheld device, USB connectivity, SD card slot, back-up camera input, Tele Atlas map database covering the 50 states and Canada, enhanced voice recognition to input destination addresses by voice, and dual-zone capability to let rear-seat passengers watch DVD video on a rear display with and headphones while front passengers listen to music sources through the car's speakers.

Other features include FM RDS, dual A/V inputs, and 4-volts preamp outputs.

The head unit also features proprietary MusicSphere technology to create mood-based playlists from songs stored on a connected iPhone. MusicSphere analyzes the music library and creates 40 specialized playlists based on various musical attributes, such as rhythm pattern, beats per minute, year of the song and/or date added to the device, and feelings, such as bright, energetic, gloomy, and relaxing calm. Users are also able to create a "DJ Playlist" for a non-stop mix of selected music types, with blending between songs.

The navigation section's ECO Driving feature provides estimated fuel cost of trips, a vehicle's CO2 emissions, analysis of driving habits and generates reports with suggestions to improve fuel efficiency.

For its user interface, the new head unit provides 3D animation in the navigation maps, touch-slide controls, an expanded album-art display, two-speed scrolling, and a customizable home menu that lets users drag and drop up to 15 function icons into the home page.

AAMP of America is bringing back the Phoenix Gold brand in a big way since the company purchased the brand from Rodin in September 2009.

AAMP is reemphasizing the Phoenix Gold name on packaging and on the product itself, a spokesman said. Rodin, on the other hand, stressed the Ryval and RSD brands on packaging and products for the past six years or so, although the Phoenix Gold name also appeared, he said.

The first Phoenix Gold products under AAMP ownership include the competition- grade Ti series, already shipping. The $649-suggested Ti800.4 Class A/ B amp is rated at 4x125-watt into 4 ohms and 4x200 watts in 2 ohms. The $1,099- suggested Ti2500.1 is a monoblock class D amp rated at 2,500 watts into 1 ohm and 1500 watts into 2 ohms with 80 percent efficiency.

In early May, the company began shipping the R series of entry-level Phoenix Gold amps with four models priced from $169 for a 250-watt mono amp to $450 for a 1,000-watt mono amp.

Two more Ti-series amps — the Ti1500.1 and Ti600.4 — are expected to ship in late May along with the first two S-series models. They are a 1000- watt mono amp and a 4x100-watt amp whose small dimensions at 10x6x2 inches make them suitable for installation in places where full-size amps won’t fit, the company said.

Ti-series subwoofers, coaxial speakers and component speakers are scheduled for shipment sometime later.

TomTom’s proprietary HD Traffic service was recognized by TÜV SÜD in Germany for the superior quality of its traffic information.

During two weeks of rigorous testing, HD Traffic was found to give drivers the most accurate and frequent live traffic information compared with any other traffic information service available in Germany. HD Traffic also provided the best road coverage of all the traffic information services tested.

Overall, TomTom’s service scored 61% – which was 24% better than the runner-up.

“The results of these independent tests clearly show that TomTom HD Traffic is the leading technology in the field of traffic telematics and traffic data collection,” says Harold Goddijn, CEO of TomTom. “Millions of users can now benefit from more than 10 years of research by avoiding traffic jams and reaching their destination faster and more relaxed.”

Importantly, the tests were carried out by actual drivers on real roads. HD Traffic came out on top in every test, proving it really does help drivers make smarter route decisions that can save them time and money.

Number one for accuracy, frequency and coverage

HD Traffic via the TomTom GO 750 LIVE scored highest for accuracy, correctly reporting more than three quarters of all real-world jams. It proved 50% more accurate than the second placed traffic information service, which correctly reported only half the jams it encountered.

TomTom’s service also delivered the most frequent traffic reports – a crucial factor, given how suddenly queues can appear because of new roadworks or an accident.

In terms of coverage, HD Traffic was one of only two services that provided information on major roads as well as highways. Given that traffic jams don’t just happen on motorways, it’s no surprise that HD Traffic was able to divert TÜV SÜD’s test drivers away from more jams than any other service, including TMC.
Overall, HD Traffic provided the best quality of information on delays and jam lengths. Following such emphatic results, TÜV SÜD’s verdict couldn’t be clearer: TomTom HD Traffic “provides the best quality of traffic information” read the report’s closing comments.

For more information on TomTom HD Traffic, visit our website www.TomTom.com

Sirius XM said it will remain listed on the Nasdaq market. The satellite-radio company was informed by Nasdaq that it is in compliance with all Nasdaq listing standards, including a minimum-bid stock-price requirement of $1 per share.

As a result, Nasdaq canceled an April 29 hearing to review the company's compliance with the minimum bid price rule.

Sirius XM also said that because it remains in compliance, its board of directors will not need to consider a reverse stock split to bring the company into compliance.

Had the hearing been held, a Nasdaq hearing panel could have given the satellite-radio broadcaster until Sept. 13 to comply with the price requirement.