Toyota Launches Telematics System, Ford Unveils Sync Upgrades

In Las Vegas yesterday on the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show , Toyota introduced a new telematics system that will be available on both Toyota and Lexus vehicles -- and will replace the Lexus Link system serviced by OnStar -- while Ford announced upgrades to its popular Microsoft-powered Sync system, including real-time traffic, turn-by-turn directions and customized weather reports, sports score and other info.

The Toyota-brand system is called Safety Connect, while the Lexus version is termed Enform. Both will be available in late summer of 2009 on select vehicles with a monthly subscription following a one-year free trial period. The new enhancements to Sync will be available later this year on select 2010 Ford and Lincoln vehicles and will be rolled out to the entire line in 2011. The new services are free for the first three years on new vehicles and use the vehicle owner's mobile phone or device to download info to the vehicle rather than relying on on-board electronics.

This is likely to be the first ripple in what promises to be a new wave of telematics services -- if cost-conscious consumers are willing to pay the monthly subs that many of the systems require.

Like OnStar, Toyota Safety Connect provides a button that car occupants can press to link to a call center to get emergency or roadside assistance. Plus it also provide automatic crash notification when an airbag deploys or a severe rear-end collision is detected. The system also allows stolen vehicle tracking using GPS once the owner reports the theft to police.

The Lexus Enform system includes all of the features of Safety Connect. Plus, it adds services such as Destination Assist, wherein a live operator finds a destination and it's sent to the vehicle's nav system, and EDestination, which allows a user to select and organize destinations on a web site and then wirelessly transmit them to the vehicle. Destination Assist operators will also steer Lexus owners to POIs and provide Zagat info, while with EDestination users can build a "library of destinations" in 20 customized folders, with up to 10 destinations per folder.

Enformer features will be activated via VoiceBox Technologies' casual-speech voice recognition. And if the owner chooses, Lexus can talk back through a feature called Lexus Insider that allows subscriber to listen to "hot topic" audio broadcasts of tips on their particular vehicle, Lexus-exclusive regional events and articles from Lexus magazine. They'll also get "Insider insights into exclusive destinations appealing to Lexus drivers." If Lexus owners don't want to become a moving target-market, they can opt out of the service or choose whether or not to receive automatic notifications.

Ford is following up the game-changing success of Sync by continuing its strategy of channeling services through the car occupant's own portable device and, with the latest upgrades, moving the technology that supports the features off-board. The latest Sync apps will use a driver's mobile phone to connect to turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic and personalized news sports and weather info.

For example, car owners can have Sync send a text message to their mobile device so that they can get info on the location of accidents or road construction -- and have Sync read it aloud in their vehicles. Or through one of Ford Sync's partners, such as TeleNav, a driver can download turn-by-turn directions to their vehicles and have them read over the audio system and displayed on the radio. And through the syncmyride website, owners can have customized news, weather, sports scores, stock quotes and other info beamed to their mobile phone and linked to Sync.

Plus, Ford has essentially solved Sync's Achilles' heel by allowing users to create "short-cut" commands on the syncmyride website.

Before CES ends, we'll be hearing more about similar services from Hughes Telematics, which means OnStar's decade-long reign in the telematics market will likely end soon.

Below are the full press releases from Toyota and Ford.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Announces Dual-Brand Telematics Programs: Lexus EnformTM and Safety Connect Available in 2009

LAS VEGAS (January 7, 2009) - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc. today announced that it will launch its proprietary telematics systems in the year to come. The all-new systems will be available on select models with customized versions for both Lexus and Toyota brands. "We are proud to introduce these services and advance our relationships with our customers by providing them the features they need to feel safer and more secure while on the road," said Jon Bucci, TMS vice president, Advanced Technology Department. "Our primary focus while developing our services was on three key traits: choice, convenience and control. We feel that our new telematics offerings deliver on these attributes, hitting the mark for what our customers have shown us they will be looking for in their next vehicle purchase." The Toyota brand will introduce Safety Connect on select Toyota models, helping to bring its drivers an added peace of mind. Lexus will introduce Lexus Enform with Safety Connect, a service built on the foundation of valuable safety and security services with the added layer of more convenience-oriented features and specialized advanced technologies.

New Offerings Built on a Solid Heritage of Quality With characteristic Toyota vision, sights have been set on bringing Toyota's proprietary telematics products to the U.S. for many years. "Prior to entering the U.S. market full force, Toyota practiced a deliberate approach to product development based on our experience in Japan, in-depth research and relentless product testing in order to both deliver to customers' expectations and produce systems befitting the Toyota name," said Bucci. "Safety Connect and Lexus Enform are the results of several years of due diligence and dedicated teams working in partnership with our highly experienced providers."

Safety Connect: A Secure Foundation Available on both Lexus and Toyota brands, Safety Connect is the cornerstone of Toyota's new telematics offerings and will provide fundamental services to help extend confidence to drivers on the road. "While a portion of the industry appears to be migrating to reliance upon wireless handheld devices to deliver in-vehicle safety, we've followed our engineering insights and Toyota's G-Book and G-Link roots in Japan," said Bucci. "Based on our experience and research, our core safety and security technology is embedded in the vehicle to help ensure reliability and responsiveness." As the foundation of Toyota's telematics systems and available on select vehicles, Safety Connect will include the following four safety and security facets:

Automatic Collision Notification (ACN) Safety Connect's ACN will help drivers receive the necessary response from emergency teams. In the event of either an airbag deployment or a severe rear-end collision; the response center will be automatically notified via embedded cellular technology and GPS. Once the response center agent receives the vehicle ID and the vehicle's location, the agent can speak with the driver to ascertain the level of emergency. If the driver is unable to communicate, the agent automatically treats the call as an emergency. The response center agent then uses the vehicle's GPS location to determine the nearest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) available to provide emergency support and will offer to stay on the line until emergency assistance arrives.

Stolen Vehicle Location (SVL) Safety Connect subscribers will be able to rely on an extra level of security in the event that their vehicle is stolen. If this should happen, Safety Connect will assist in tracking the location of the stolen vehicle using the vehicle's GPS. Once a police report has been filed and the owner contacts the Safety Connect call center to report the theft, call center agents will assist local authorities to help recover the vehicle--keeping the owner apprised of the progress.

Emergency Assistance Button (SOS) All Safety Connect-enabled vehicles will come equipped with an SOS button, with the call center's 24-hour emergency assistance only a press away. When an emergency situation develops, subscribed customers will be able to quickly reach the Safety Connect response center to communicate their emergency. Again using embedded cellular and GPS technology, the agent will assess the situation and dispatch the necessary assistance based on the type of emergency.

Roadside Assistance When a driver encounters problems on the road, the Safety Connect response center will be available for roadside assistance 24 hours a day via the SOS button. Call center agents will help drivers receive aid for a wide range of needs, such as towing, jump start, flat tire, fuel delivery, etc. With this service, drivers will not need to rely on additional membership organizations for roadside coverage to help them get back on the road. All Safety Connect calls will be sent directly to Toyota's dedicated, specialized telematics response center operated by ATX Group, a leading provider of global automotive telematics services for over a decade. Drivers can rest even easier with the added level of confidence that comes with having this service as the backbone of Safety Connect's security offerings.

Lexus Enform: Pinnacle of Convenience Lexus Enform takes Toyota's telematics services to a new level of care with a diverse assortment of offerings ranging from information and convenience capabilities to up-to-the-minute weather reports. "We specifically steered away from a one-size-fits-all approach," explained Bucci, "recognizing that we have two distinct markets for telematics products and services and catering our offerings to each of our valued customer sets." The cornerstones of Lexus Enform are two convenience-based services: Destination Assist and eDestination. With these features, Lexus vehicles can become a virtual information tool--giving drivers the ability to send and receive the data they choose and need along the way. Both services also rest on the solid foundation of Toyota's dedicated ATX call center.

Destination Assist Live-operator assistance with finding destinations will be just the press of a button away with Destination Assist. While either parked or driving, the driver will be able to easily connect to an operator to ask for help finding local points of interest from dining to gas stations, dry cleaners to museums. As an added bonus to Lexus drivers, Zagat's best-in-breed restaurant content will also be available via Destination Assist. Destination Assist operators will steer drivers to the nearest or preferred destination, giving them either the specific business or address requested or nearby choices if, for example, the call is for a specific type of cuisine but the driver does not know the exact restaurant they would like to visit. Once the driver tells the operator their choice, the destination is sent wirelessly to the vehicle's navigation system.

eDestination An expedient self-service feature of Lexus Enform is eDestination, which will allow the user to go online, via the Lexus owners' Web site, to select and organize destinations of their choice and then send them wirelessly to their vehicle. From any computer, Lexus Enform-subscribed owners will be able to simply log in to their account and search for destinations by one of three options, point of interest (POI) name, category, or address, in Lexus' POI database--the same nationwide database in the vehicle's navigation system. By entering either a city and state or a Zip code with their search option, they will receive a numbered list of relevant choices all called out on a map screen. The user can then simply select the destination of their choice and send it to a folder--creating a new one or inserting it into one they have already built. When finished making selections and creating folders, the user simply selects "save to vehicle" and their personalized destinations will be available to load into the vehicle's navigation system upon the next start up. Going hand in hand with the quality our drivers have come to expect and rely upon in Lexus vehicles, Lexus Enform drivers will also have easy online access to Zagat-rated restaurants nationwide via eDestination. eDestination will enable users to build their library of destinations in up to 20 customized folders with up to 10 destinations per folder. This will enable Lexus Enform subscribers to select and send an unprecedented total of 200 personalized destinations to their vehicle. The folder cache will always be present online for users to save or update as they see fit. For example, folders with the addresses of friends, family, or favorite local restaurants can be saved and maintained while new folders can be created for specific occasions--a vacation ("Road Trip to Boston") or business meetings ("LA Biz Travel")--and updated to meet current plans. Wherever Lexus drivers need to go, they will be able to plan trips easily and in advance, and even update from the road, with eDestination.

Flexible Voice Interface Because Lexus Enform is a navigation-based system, vehicles equipped with navi will automatically include one of Lexus Enform's most functional--and sure to be favorite--systems, the updated voice recognition system currently only available on the MY10 Lexus RX vehicles. This new casual-speech voice recognition system, called voice command, features VoiceBox Technology's award-winning, patented Conversational Voice Search, and allows drivers to speak more flexible, conversational commands for easier access and control. Voice command software enhances standard voice recognition and functions as a supplementary layer "on top" of the existing voice recognition system, an application not seen before in the automotive world. Without voice command, users must speak commands in a specific order, e.g., "Phone > Dial by Name > Dial Bob." Now this same task can be completed simply by saying, "Call Bob at home." The voice command system also works to control many functions of the audio system, heating and air conditioning, and the navigation system. Commands such as, "Make it cooler," "Let's find XM channel 46," "I want a Japanese restaurant," and "Where's the nearest gas station along my route?" make tasks easier to accomplish, in fewer steps, with more flexible speech, and allow the driver to focus more on the road ahead.

Mobile Audio Casts with Lexus Insider One thing we know about Lexus drivers is that they appreciate up-to-the-minute information about the world around them. With Lexus Insider, a complimentary service on all Lexus Enform navigation-equipped vehicles, customers will be able to listen to audio broadcasts in their vehicles with the push of a button. A first in the industry, brief "hot topic" audio programmes, hand selected for our customers, will be sent regularly to vehicles and made available to drivers to enjoy whenever they see fit. Customers who would prefer not to receive Lexus Insider broadcasts will be able to easily opt out of the service. Those customers who do elect to receive them will be able to select whether or not to receive automatic notifications when news is available. Topics will include vehicle technology insights, with tips on their specific model of Lexus vehicle and its capabilities; updates on Lexus-exclusive regional events; and selections from Lexus magazine lifestyle articles. Additionally, customers will also receive Insider insights into exclusive destinations appealing to Lexus drivers. Lexus drivers alone will benefit from the added convenience of having these broadcast transmissions also include the destination's information provided as a downloadable POI, enabling them to easily save the spot to their navigation. Because broadcast data transmission to automobiles is necessarily complicated by the unpredictable nature of when, and for how long, vehicles will be powered on, Lexus Insider makes use of innovative technology to optimize delivery. Thus equipped, Lexus Enform vehicles can successfully receive audio casts in spite of disruptions to transmissions--helping to ensure that listeners receive Lexus Insider stories seamlessly and without complications.

XM - Beyond Radio Lexus Enform vehicles will be factory ready for subscriptions to a variety of innovative XM services. Standard equipment on Lexus vehicles will include available XM satellite radio programming and its available "Best of SIRIUS" content. Additionally, Lexus Enform vehicles will also feature XM NavTrafficand XM NavWeatherservices. These XM services will offer three-month trials, after which subscriptions will be required. XM NavTraffic informs the driver of current traffic conditions with real-time traffic displays. When traffic problems are detected, in order to avoid them the navigation system alerts the driver so that the route can be adjusted. XM NavWeather will provide near real-time weather conditions as well as spoken and nav-screen forecasts, both based on official National Weather Service data. Lexus Enform will also provide the platform for XM Sports and Stocks, a service included with audio programming, which provides in-car personalized updates on customer-selected sports and stocks so drivers can stay connected to their favorite teams and investment data while on the road. Additionally, Lexus Enform's advanced voice command system will be equipped to operate many functions of all XM services, adding a new level of flexibility.

Availability Safety Connect and Lexus Enform will be delivered on select models beginning in late summer 2009 as embedded, factory-installed hardware that can be activated upon subscription at dealerships. An included one-year trial subscription will be offered for new vehicle purchases. More details on product roll-out will be announced closer to launch.

NEW FORD SYNC FEATURES HELP DRIVERS SAVE TIME, FUEL WITH PERSONALIZED NEWS, TRAFFIC DETAILS

SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information provides personalized, real-time information to help drivers get to where they're going with information they need. New services come with no monthly subscription fees for the first three years.
Users' customizations stay with their phone and can be used in other SYNC-equipped vehicles and can be upgraded free as new services are available.
New features launch later this year on select 2010 models and will roll out across the entire Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury lineup by 2011.
SYNC sales expected to top 1 million in 2009.

LAS VEGAS, Jan.7, 2009 - Ford is expanding its connectivity leadership by introducing exclusive new SYNC real-time information features that deliver personalized news updates to drivers' mobile phones while helping them navigate around trouble spots, saving time and fuel.

"Our vision with SYNC is to be a leader in connectivity, making it affordable for millions - just as Ford has done with safety and fuel-saving technologies," said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally. "In less than 18 months since we launched SYNC, Ford has delivered two more major new features, and we have more in store.

"We are a car company that through market-driven, customer-focused innovation is learning to think and act like an electronics company, leveraging partnerships with fresh, innovative technology leaders," added Mulally, who delivers the Consumer Electronics Show keynote address on Thursday.

The success of SYNC - the award-winning communications and entertainment system developed by Ford and Microsoft - continues to grow. Ford's game-changing vehicle connectivity model and affordability have helped make it one of the widest technology introductions in the industry, launching on 12 vehicles simultaneously.

SYNC-equipped Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles sell nearly twice as fast as those without, and a Ford survey of SYNC customers showed nearly 80 percent of respondents "definitely would" recommend it to a friend.

Since the introduction of SYNC in the 2008 Ford Focus, Ford quickly has integrated the technology. By summer 2009, Ford's entire North American lineup will offer this must-have technology, demonstrating its rapid, consumer-driven adoption. Ford expects to have 1 million SYNC-equipped vehicles on the road by the third quarter of 2009.

"We define connectivity as a way to keep people moving through their lives - not simply as an on-board computer," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. "Our approach focuses on connecting people to the information they need, whenever and wherever they need it. These new features are aimed at enhancing the driver's entire quality of life."

Ford's next-generation system - SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information - leverages industry-leading voice-recognition software, integrated GPS technology and a customer's Bluetooth-capable mobile phone. Debuting this spring, it will provide simple hands-free access to personalized traffic reports, precise turn-by-turn driving directions and up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports and weather.

The new services will be available on nearly all 2010 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models with no initial monthly subscription fees, thanks to three years of service included with a new vehicle purchase.

"Ford is unique because we continue to build on the power of the SYNC system that lets customers connect to off-board services through their own mobile devices," said Doug VanDagens, director of Ford's Connected Services Organization. "With that foundation, there is no limit to the data we can offer. Working with our partners - the best of the best in the technology world - we will continue to provide new services in a timeframe on par with the consumer electronics industry."

According to 2008 year-end data, Smartphones were a clear consumer must-have, offering such advanced capabilities as a keyboard, Web browser and some PC-like functionality. Research findings suggest that growth in this industry is expected to continue at 40-percent year-over-year.

SYNC's new suite of services allows customers the ability to integrate with off-board services and provide a personalized infotainment experience to the driver by utilizing the customer's own phone. That powerful match is what differentiates SYNC in the marketplace and what will expand Ford's connectivity leadership long-term.

"Today, Ford leads the industry leader in infotainment," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of Global Product Development. "As we transform our vehicle lineup, we intend to continue making smart technology a key differentiator for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products."

Ford is partnering with Microsoft and other recognized companies - INRIX, TeleNav, Tellme (a Microsoft subsidiary), M/A-COM and Airbiquity -- to enable the new services to connect to real-time data.

"We're excited to see Ford's great innovations developed on top of our Microsoft Auto platform that continue to improve how people spend time in their car," says Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division.

"The combination of software and services, including the industry leading technology from Microsoft Auto and Tellme, are delivering entirely new voice-enabled experiences that make the time spent in the car more entertaining and more productive," Bach added.

To take advantage of Traffic, Directions and Information, customers simply have to pair their Bluetooth-enabled phone with SYNC and activate the service via www.syncmyride.com. Once that's complete, the feature becomes "portable," meaning customers can access the information in any Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle equipped with SYNC and the Traffic, Directions and Information function.

Traffic
SYNC's new traffic feature will literally save drivers time and money by providing personalized traffic reports based on best-in-class content.

"We are able to provide traffic speed, flow and incident information to drivers in 95 markets nationwide," said VanDagens. "In addition, drivers can personalize the system to alert them of changing road conditions."

In a text message to the user's device, drivers will get the location and severity of accidents or new road construction causing areas of heavy congestion. Users can personalize the system to send them an alert before they leave home or have SYNC read the text message in their vehicle.

"SYNC is working for you before you're even out of bed," VanDagens said. "That's what we mean by a quality-of-life experience."

Directions
According to Telematics Research Group, Inc., navigation-enabled mobile phones are becoming consumers' top choice for navigation services. This shift will open up new applications and services - and SYNC is positioned to take full advantage of this market shift using its powerful partnership network.

Drivers requesting directions now can use a variety of search criteria including a 14-million-plus business directory to find their destination, be it a favorite coffee shop or the location of a business meeting.

Turn-by-turn directions are downloaded to the vehicle and are spoken to the user over the vehicle's audio system and displayed on the radio.

Like the new traffic service, directions incorporate real-time traffic information. Through a set of more conversational voice commands, the user need only speak the name, category or "nearest."

The new directions service also offers users a choice of how they'd like to receive the information:

Automatic connection to business telephone using the driver's personal device;
Turn-by-turn directions to the business location using the vehicle's audio system; or
Text message to user's device with business listing and map.

Information
Another new feature of SYNC will help drivers' personalize and categorize their favorite media topics, such as sports, weather and news using voice commands or through www.syncmyride.com.

Examples include:

Personalized sports reports featuring scores and highlights for any professional or college team;
Current weather conditions and forecasts based on city, state or zip-code; and
News of all types - entertainment, business, top stories and technology.

"SYNC has been developed to allow users to create their own experiences," said VanDagens. "Some people may wish to check their stock portfolios; others might want their hometown baseball scores. With SYNC's unique architecture and the powerful Tellme voice service, there are no boundaries to the information users can access."

New short-cuts added
SYNC has gotten smarter as well, and is providing a variety of new "short-cut" commands. Users recall comments such as, "Call Joe at work," and, "Play artist ACDC." New commands include, "traffic to work," and, "directions to home." Using the website, users can save a variety of locations such as home, office and airport - any location in the U.S.

These new capabilities are in addition to SYNC's established hallmark suite of services, from hands-free, voice-activated cell phone, text messaging and digital media player integration to the more recent security and convenience additions of 911 Assist and Vehicle Health Report.

"We understand how important it is for customers to feel connected to their lives - even on the road," Kuzak said. "Ford is committed to continue working with the top technology companies in the business to deliver even more of the features consumers really want."