LaneFX is not like blind spot mirrors. It's only a mobile electronics system that moves your power mirrors in lane changes and merges.

HOME: Are you looking for a great technology or auto safety story idea? Look no further than the award-winning LaneFX and ParkFX auto safety systems. LaneFX is an industry-leading auto safety and lane change blind spot mirror technology. But at the same time, it makes for a great new gadget story because it addresses a problem that every driver out there can identify with. So go ahead! Download our LaneFX Media Kit and get your thought-starters instantly. Plus, be sure to check out the LaneFX auto safety DVD (also available in streaming video) and experience LaneFX in its natural habitat: America's highways. LaneFX: It's much more than a blind spot mirror, much more than a car gadget!

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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.

Drivaware Inc. was founded in 2004 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Drivaware's mission is to produce safe, innovative automotive technologies that enhance drivers' focus and alleviate common anxieties associated with driving a motor vehicle. In addition to LaneFX® and ParkFX, Drivaware's debut product line includes: LaneXRT (featuring eXtended Reflection: The first electrochromatic blind spot exposure system for OEM application), and BrakeFX, the first emergency braking awareness system.




Media Contacts:

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

 

website:   www.LaneFX.com
Press Room:   www.LaneFX.com/pressRoom
Interactive Demo:   www.LaneFX.com/demo

 

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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. new auto safety inventionWhy 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.

Are You Blind To Backup Danger?

Drivaware and Safe4Kids Tests Show Larger Vehicles Have Larger Blind Spots

If you have a sport utility vehicle, it is probably because they are big and you believe they're safer than other vehicles. But Drivaware and Safe4Kids News has uncovered some information about a safety issue that affects virtually every vehicle on the road. When you back your vehicle up, you look in the rearview mirror, and it is easy to see if an adult is in the way. But what if a small child is standing there? Statistics show that 28,000 children were taken to emergency rooms last year when they were run over by a vehicle backing up. Before you get behind the wheel, you'd better know more about your vehicle's blind spot. Robin Giglio's 22-month-old son Hayden, somehow got behind the family SUV as they were backing away from his grandparents' house. "I relive the accident every day," Giglio said. "Hayden ran behind the car and I couldn't see him at all and I hit him." Drivaware and Safe4Kids's Investigators went to a supermarket parking lot and placed orange cones the size of a small child behind some vehicles that were backing out. The people in the vehicles checked their mirrors and took their time backing up, but they couldn't see the cone because of the blind spot. If it had been a child, he or she could have been seriously injured, if not killed. With the help of John Long of AAA Mid-Atlantic, Drivaware and Safe4Kids set up a blind spot demonstration with Alexis and Annemarie volunteering to be the drivers. Cones were placed directly behind different cars, vans, pickups and SUVs. In an older-model Toyota Corolla, Alexis didn't spot the cone until it was moved 9.5 feet behind her. However, Annemarie spotted it sooner -- after 8 feet 3 inches. Why was there a difference with the exact same car? Annemarie is 8 inches taller than Alexis. The shorter you are, the harder it is to spot things when you back up. In the demonstration, Drivaware and Safe4Kids discovered that the bigger the vehicle, the bigger the blind spot. With a Jeep Grand Cherokee, the blind spot was over 20 feet 5 inches. The Ford Windstar's blind spot was about 25 feet and the Land Rover had a 36-foot blind spot. Drivaware and Safe4Kids found out it was even worse when the blind spot was directly behind the spare tire and the middle seat headrest. Alexis couldn't see the cone for over 182 feet -- that's over half the length of a football field. You can reduce your blind spot, Long said. "In the third seat of a passenger van, put it down in the resting position and it will give you somewhat greater visibility as you look over your shoulder," Long said. Many vehicles have sensors that beep when something is close. You can also reduce your blind spot by raising your power seat to let you see at a greater angle. If you don't have a power seat make sure you turn around and lift yourself up as much as possible -- that always reduced the blind spot in tests by AAA Mid-Atlantic. You should also always make sure you look behind the vehicle before getting in and hit the horn briefly to warn anybody who might be in your blind spot.

Back-over Accidents

Moms Put ParkFX to the Test

There are no government statistics, but some estimate the family car killed as many as 500 children across the country last year. And the accidents happened in their own driveways. While some may wonder what kind of parent could do that, Rachel Clemens said it could happen to just about anyone. Two years ago, her daughter Adrianna wandered out of her Garland home. That’s when Adrianna's father accidentally backed over the child with his SUV. "He didn't see her," Clemens said. "That was the last day I saw my daughter alive." So, how could you not see a child behind the family car? Three Dallas moms agreed to take a safety test with the understanding that they would not know exactly what the tests were about. While they were distracted filling out a questionnaire, Drivaware and Safe4Kids placed an orange cone about 8-feet behind their vehicles and the drivers were then asked to back up. All three plowed right over the cone. "Did I just run over something?" Adrienne Ludlow as said as she backed up. "Oh, I hit the cone," said Amy Gordon. "I figured it was a branch or something," said Merideth Manning. Drivaware and Safe4Kids measured the blind spot behind each of their vehicles. The Honda Pilot had a blind spot over 30 feet, an Infiniti G35 about 18 feet and a Chevy Tahoe more than 35 feet. The eye-opening experiment had all three women interested in the same thing, which was looking into safety equipment like ParkFX or a rear sensor that beeps faster the closer a driver gets to an object. Safety cameras mounted on the rear of car are also available. The cameras relay a picture of the blind spot to a screen on the dashboard. Both technologies are available on new cars with after-market installation costs less than $500. "I would absolutely buy it, but wouldn't think of it until you came over and showed me how dangerous this could possibly be," Gordon said. Attorney Windle Turley represents the Clemens family, which sued Nissan, the maker of the family's SUV. They claim the technology should have been standard equipment. The case is still pending. "Manufacturers take off this needed safety equipment so they can market their vehicle a little bit lower in price than their competitors; and that's really wrong,” Turley said.  The trade group representing automakers says, "the best defense against back-over accidents is to check around the vehicle before you back up." "That does not work and you're sending the wrong signal,” Clemens said.  Clemens, and several lawmakers in Washington, support legislation that would require automakers to put back-over safety equipment on all new cars. Experts say it would add up to $200 to the price. "To me, I think to anybody, any parent, the cost is nothing compared to a child's life," Clemens said. There are no official numbers, but one safety group estimates that in Texas more than 90 children have been killed in or around parked vehicles in the last 15 years.

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

iLaneTech 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.
It's probably still distracting in the same way a child talking in the backseat or the radio can be distracting...but at least it can be used without the driver taking their eyes of the road or their hands off the wheel. Gizmodo has more details about iLane. Gizmodo says it supports the major Western languages and it can read your emails in a male or female voice. Gizmodo also warns that it might be unwise to have children in the care when those raunchy spam message are read aloud by iLane.

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FEATURES & OPTIONS

Standard Features Interactive List
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BLIND SPOT INFO

About Drivaware Inc.
Press Room[ and Media Library ]
Press Room[ and Media Library ] LaneFX TV
Press Room[ and Media Library ] Press Releases
Investors Forum
New Car Dealers
Aftermarket Retailers & Distributors
Auto OEM's
Trading Partner Login [ Restricted Access ]

FEATURED AUTO SAFETY ARTICLES & OTHER LINKS FOR SAFE LANE CHANGES

LaneFX is Safe for Leased Vehicles
LaneFX Voted #1 Driver Awareness Technology by BlindSpotSystems.com

HOW TO CHANGE LANES SAFELY WITH LANEFX

LaneFX Demo

Virtual LaneFX Tour
Top 10 Ways Drivers Use LaneFX
LaneFX Moments
Blind Spot Challenge / Driver Awareness Index Study
Driver Safety Surveys

COMPARE LATEST 12-VOLT CAR GADGETS

Competitive Comparisons
Why LaneFX is Right For You
Compare LaneFX
10 Reasons to Replace Your Stick-On Convex Auxilliary Mirrors with LaneFX
Independent Research Studies Stress the Importance of Safer Lane Changes

CONTACT OUR EXPERT DRIVERS ED INSTRUCTORS

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LaneFX Site Map Site MapLaneFX Site Map Drivaware Corporate Gateway CorporateDrivaware Corporate Gateway Chat with LaneFX Safety Team Customer ServiceContact Customer Service View Shopping Cart / Checkout Shopping Cart
LaneFX is proudly made in the USA using US-sourced components MADE IN U.S.A. Drivaware reminds you to always wear your seatbelt, exercise caution when merging or changing lanes, obey all traffic laws and always rely on your primary senses in making driving decisions. Drivaware and LaneFX are trademarks of Drivaware Inc. Patents Pending. Copyright © 2006-09. All rights reserved. Drivaware Inc. 1756 Plymouth Rd., Suite #500, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA.
Before your write your article or news piece, why not test drive LaneFX and experience it first-hand in its natural habitat: America's highways.

Our marketing and PR teams would like to extend you any assistance during your LaneFX review. Choose from the following services or, as always, you can contact us directly, anytime.
 

 
The best way to get a personal quote that's specific to your article's topic. We can schedule telephone, video conference or in-person interviews quickly and around your schedule and story deadline.
 
   
We have a fleet of demo LaneFX vehicles available to you at anytime. We can usually have a vehicle to your US locations within 3 business days (up to 5 for west coast locations). Our fleet is made up of both domestic and import vehicles in case your publication has a preference.
 

   
We can provide you with a complementary LaneFX system. We also offer complimentary installation services through one of our Certified Installation Centers.
 

 
new auto safety technology in recent magazine issues
 
     
LaneFX advertisement - Mobile Electronics Magazine available in low res [PDF, current]
   
auto safety reporting - short story
LaneFX advertisement - Mobile Electronics Magazine available in low res [PDF, undated]
   
 
 
  LaneFX brochure  
LaneFX Point Of Purchase (POP) Ad available in low res [PDF, undated]

 

 


 
 
     
Download the LaneFX consumer brochure and see how LaneFX's safety and awareness benefits are making sense to drivers everyday.  
   
LaneFX Consumer Brochure
Download the LaneFX Pilot Dealer Program brochure and see how LaneFX is driving more revenues to auto dealerships today.  
   
 
Exclusive LaneFX product preview DVD now available in streaming video
 
 

LaneFX design team

auto dealers

aftermarket installers

industry experts


Join the Drivaware team at the legendary Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan for this exclusive insider look at the LaneFX system. We invite you to observe LaneFX in its natural habitat: America’s highways and to see how it responds to drivers’ needs in real-time. Next to test driving LaneFX in rush hour traffic for the first time, this streaming DVD video is an excellent, engaging way to experience the extensive innovation that Drivaware has put into designing LaneFX. Plus get direct quotes and prospectives from auto dealers, aftermarket installers, the LaneFX product design team as well as auto industry insiders on the future of this new invention.

click on any video clip to begin viewing streaming DVD video.

If you would like a copy of the LaneFX Product Preview DVD, please contact us and give us with your mailing address.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

LaneFX Product Image 1
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