Drivaware announces LaneFX - The First Active Blind Spot Exposure System

Ann Arbor, Mich., June 5, 2006 - Drivaware® Inc. today announced the production release and immediate availability of  its debut driver awareness product: LaneFX™.  LaneFX® is an innovative automotive product that transforms a vehicle's power side mirrors into an on-demand Active Blind Spot Exposure System.

Whenever a turn signal is activated, or at the press of a button, LaneFX® moves the corresponding power mirror outward to sweep and expose the vehicle's blind spot. It pauses long enough for the driver to scan for any objects that may be lurking in the blind spot zone. Then, it reliably returns the power side mirror back to its original, driver-set position.
LaneFX™'s Patent Pending technology is designed from the ground up to be entirely universal. LaneFX® works with any vehicle equipped with power mirrors, new or pre-owned, domestic or import, including the most ECU-intensive and multiplexed vehicles on the market today. LaneFX® is packed with driver awareness features and is highly-customizable to the driver's preferences. Drivers can personalize how far each mirror expands, how long it pauses, and how fast it should move altogether. All customizations can be made separately to the driver-side and passenger-side power mirrors.
Khaled Malhas, Drivaware Founder & President said: "According to NHTSA, 1 out of 25 collisions on America's highways today is due to improper lane changes/merges. Further, J.D. Power & Associates has reported that blind spot systems were the second-most requested automotive technology by consumers in 2005. We recognized that the driver awareness / lane change segment is gaining significant momentum. As a result, we designed LaneFX® as a sensor-less blind spot exposure system that is truly universal and that we can drive through multiple channels including: auto dealers, mobile electronics / aftermarket retailers, as well as the OEM and tier-1 supplier channel."

"We're always looking for added revenue opportunities from a every vehicle sale." says Jeff Scott, Principal and General Manager, Dick Scott Automotive Group based in metro Detroit, Mich., "it's always challenging to introduce aftermarket products after a customer has decided on a vehicle. We signed on with the LaneFX® Pilot Dealer Program because I was impressed with how simply the product can be demonstrated to vehicle buyers and how quickly our customers see value in its impact on their daily commute."

"We've all been taught to turn our heads away from the traffic ahead to check our blind spot. During an average blind spot check, a vehicle travels more than half of a football field, unattended!" adds Khaled Malhas, "With LaneFX™, we allow drivers to stay focused on the road ahead while showing the contents of their blind spot zone using a comfortable, familiar interface: The vehicle's side mirror."

In recently-announced OEM blind spot detection systems (such as ValeoRaytheon Systems' LaneVueT and Volvo's BLIST systems), a computer and a sensor make the critical decision on whether an object is present in the blind spot zone. Further, such systems report these results through an interface that is entirely new to the driver. In contrast, LaneFX® is a blind spot exposure system, not a detector. LaneFX® simply exposes the contents of the blind spot zone to drivers allowing them to make their own informed driving decisions. By using the vehicle's power side mirror, drivers use a familiar interface that has no learning curve as it is already associated with the act of changing lanes. 

LaneFX® is available now through select auto dealers, aftermarket retailers and directly through LaneFX.com. The current production release of the LaneFX® product line features a number of Patent Pending innovations, including:

1. Mirror Speed Boost: safely accelerates power mirror motor speeds up to 200% of OEM speed for maximum responsiveness,

2. Turn Signal Link: with "Normal" and "Sticky" turn signal modes to suit any driving style,

3. Merge Mode: holds a mirror outward for as long as the driver needs to merge into traffic,

4. Intelligent Installs Technology: LaneFX® can self-learn the electrical configuration of the host vehicle with no need for complex programming,

5. ParkFX - Park Assist & Curb Exposure System: tilts one or both side mirrors downwards when the vehicle is engaged in reverse, and

6. "Mirror-in-Motion" LED indicators.

Media Contacts:
Kimberly Simpson
Drivaware Inc.
+1.734.649.3949
kimberly.simpson@drivaware.com

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LATEST REPORT

Most Drivers Say They Don't Use Turn Signals

Maybe you've asked yourself: What is the big deal about a turn signal? Is it hard to find? Difficult to use? Why is it that 57 percent of drivers say they don't use one? Won't-use-a-signal drivers are simply not motivated properly, according to a national survey by Response Insurance, a national car insurer.

• 23 percent say they're too lazy.
• 42 percent say they don't have enough time.
• 17 percent don't signal because they forget to turn the signals off after turning.
• 12 percent say they change lanes too often to bother.
• 11 percent say it's not important.
• 8 percent say they won't signal because other drivers don't.
• 7 percent actually say they forego the signal because it "adds excitement to driving."

(The total exceeds 100 percent because some drivers picked more than one reason.)

With LaneFX, drivers have experienced a 38% increase in consistent turn signal utilization compared with their driving habits prior to owning the system.

Lane FX is not a passive blind spot detector like Valeo Raytheon, Audi Side Assist or Volvo's BLIS (the latest passive car gadgets from automakers).

Change lanes by checking your vehicle's power mirrors. Why turn your head away from traffic ahead? Turn your mirror instead and stay focused on the road ahead. That's what driving safety is all about and it's a lesson that should be part of any drivers ed driver training program. The Lane FX system simply shows your vehicle's blind spot zone and is compatible with your SUV's factory and aftermarket mobile electronics like radar detectors and even factory park assist systems. LaneFX makes a great mobile technology gift for the driving safety of the commuter in your family, even if you own an Audi Q7 with Lane Assist mobile technology. It's the #1 car gadget and gift idea for auto enthusiasts, SUV owners, and high-mileage commuters.

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Top 5 Auto Safety Technologies

Which of the often-expensive new technology might really save your life? Cars and trucks have become a lot safer in the past decade, but some 43,000 people still die every year on U.S. highways. To be sure you and your family do not wind up among these statistics, you want the latest and best auto safety equipment available when you buy a new car. But unless you can afford a luxury car--where most safety gear will be standard--you will have to make choices about how much to spend on optional auto safety equipment.

Some state-of-the-art auto safety devices--such as blind spot detection systems --aim to help you survive once an accident happens. Others--even better--help to control skids and other dangerous situations, aiming to avoid accidents entirely. To stay safe, you ideally need both preventive and protective equipment. New auto safety gear may be especially important if you are thinking about buying a sport utility vehicle (SUV).

J.D. Power & Associates' Consumer Ratings of Top 5 Auto Safety Technologies:

1. Tire-pressure monitoring
2. LaneFX style blind-spot detection / side assist / collision warning
3. Lane-departure warning
4. Emergency brake assist/collision mitigation
5. Rearview backup camera
   

Device Reads Email Messages to Drivers

Tech Digest reports on a new gadget and speech recognition system called iLane that provides drivers with a hands-free way of listening to email messages. iLane can also handle phone calls, calendar requests and SMS messages. The device plugs into the cigarette lighter.

iLane is a small device that interacts directly with existing Bluetooth-enabled handheld devices, allowing drivers to fully access their email in transit. iLane notifies the driver of incoming emails and other important information by reading a brief summary in a "natural sounding voice". The driver can then listen to the entire email message; forward or compose a response using verbal instructions. Phone calls, SMS messages, and a number of email attachment types can also be managed. In addition, filters can also be set to priorities mail, so you don't get hassled with that latest sales pitch from an online store.