XM Satellite Radio to Unveil XM Advanced Services Vehicle
Featuring In-Car Video, Voice Command, Weather Alerts
Parking Space Locator and Other Innovations
at 2006 Consumer Electronics Show
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading satellite radio company, will unveil the XM Advanced Services vehicle, a concept car featuring in-car video, voice command, weather alerts, parking space locator, and other exciting new innovations next week at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
The XM Advanced Services vehicle is a specially-equipped 2006 Lexus LX 470 to be displayed at CES January 5 - 8 in the Las Vegas Convention Center's North Hall at the XM Satellite Radio booth (Booth #4606).
The XM Advanced Services vehicle will showcase in-car video with XM's partner On2 Technologies (Amex: ONT), as well as a vast array of other new technologies, all of which can be delivered directly to the automobile by XM's network of satellites and ground repeaters, the same satellite delivery system that XM employs to broadcast its 160 channels of commercial-free music and premier sports, news, and talk radio.
XM and On2 Technologies will show new in-vehicle satellite video solutions for consumers that are designed to receive audio and video entertainment from XM. Video content can be either streamed live or stored for later playback.
In addition to in-car video, the XM Advanced Services vehicle will have the cutting-edge Voice Command system developed with VoiceBo
R) Technologies. The VoiceBox platform goes beyond typical voice recognition technologies and lets the driver use conversational speech to control the XM radio. For instance, the driver can ask to hear a certain kind of music, such as jazz, and VoiceBox will ask which of XM's five jazz channels the driver would like to hear. The driver can reply and the XM radio changes channels automatically -- without the driver's hands ever leaving the steering wheel. Delivering an exceptional user experience, the technology is part of a new multi-year partnership between XM and VoiceBox to deliver a voice-enabled XM Radio platform to automakers and the aftermarket. The XM Advanced Services vehicle also offers a demonstration of XM WeatherLink, a new concept that delivers advanced warning of weather-related driving conditions in real time. Developed with XM's partner WxWorx, a division of Baron Services, using the same technology behind the acclaimed XM WX Satellite Weather service for marine and aviation, XM WeatherLink alerts drivers to weather conditions on the road ahead.
Another innovation found inside the XM Advanced Services vehicle will help drivers locate parking spaces. XM, in conjunction with partners Nu-Metrics, Inc. (A Quixote Company) and InfoGation, will demonstrate its "ParkingLink" capability concept, which works with the car's navigation system to find available parking spots. The system shows the actual number of spaces available at designated parking facilities on the vehicle navigation map, and uses color-keyed icons to indicate the percentage availability of each facility.
XM's "ParkingLink" concept builds upon the success of the XM NavTraffic service, which displays real-time traffic information on vehicle navigation maps. XM NavTraffic informs the driver how fast traffic is moving on major highways in major metro markets, and pinpoints the locations of current traffic jams, accident sites, and road closures. Introduced in 2004, XM NavTraffic, powered by NAVTEQ Traffic, is a standard feature of the Acura RL and an option in the Cadillac CTS. Plus, Pioneer and Garmin offer aftermarket navigation systems with XM NavTraffic capability.
The XM Advanced Services vehicle contains all of these technologies, plus streaming data displays of stock quotes and sports scores, and of course, XM Satellite Radio.
About XM Satellite Radio
XM (Nasdaq: XMSR) is America's number one satellite radio service with more than five million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City and Nashville at the Country Music Hall of Fame, XM offers 160 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: the most commercial-free music channels, plus premier sports, talk, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information.
XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan and Volkswagen/Audi, is available in more than 130 different vehicle models for 2006. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements in this press release include demand for XM Satellite Radio's service, the Company's dependence on technology and third party vendors, its potential need for additional financing, as well as other risks described in XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.'s Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 11-07-05. Copies of the filing are available upon request from XM Radio's Investor Relations Department.
SOURCE XM Satellite Radio
