ATX Continues Telematics Expansion in Europe

31 May 2006

ATX Group, the world's second largest telematics service provider to the automobile industry, today announced the capability to deliver in-vehicle, telematics services to vehicle owners traveling throughout Austria.

This marks the fifth Western European country in which ATX provides telematics coverage; service is also provided in Italy, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

"This is just another step toward our commitment to enable our customers to drive anywhere in Europe with the safety, security and convenience of telematics services," said Stella Kist, ATX Senior Director of European Business and Marketing.

ATX provides to automobile manufacturers a trans-Atlantic telematics platform that is not dependent on a specific wireless carrier, telematics protocol, content provider, or the customer's preferred language. The company supports multiple wireless carriers to establish seamless, wireless voice and data connectivity between telematics vehicles and the ATX European Response Center in Dusseldorf, Germany, without the driver needing to use a new SIM card upon crossing borders.

ATX's telematics services are provided through the two-way communication of voice and data, including vehicle-location data, between a subscriber's telematics-equipped automobile and the company's response and data centers. ATX can provide Italian-, German-, French-, or English-language response to drivers' requests for assistance involving vehicle breakdowns, remote vehicle diagnostics, navigation, or emergencies.

Emergency calls (e-Calls) to ATX are activated either upon deployment of airbags or when someone in the car presses a designated "SOS" button in the vehicle. Use of satellite location positioning technology allows ATX to help guide emergency responders to the exact location of the incident and provide them with an exact description of the vehicle. At the same time, telematics centers serve as a critical safeguard for vehicle owner privacy and personal vehicle information, filtering what type of information is transmitted to public authorities and the public.

Based in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, area and Dusseldorf, Germany, ATX Group is the world's second largest provider of telematics services for the automobile industry, serving both North America and Europe. ATX telematics services are designed to provide enhanced safety, security and driving convenience to vehicle owners. These services include location-specific emergency and roadside assistance, automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle recovery, remote diagnostics and real-time traffic and navigation assistance. ATX, the largest independent telematics provider not owned by an automobile manufacturer or telecommunications firm, also provides telematics services designed to help automobile manufacturers and their affiliated dealerships to use telematics data to reduce costs, enhance vehicle servicing, and more closely manage customer relationships. ATX services are provided to vehicle owners through the brand names of its customers -- Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Maybach, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

For more information, visit http://www.atxg.com .

Source: prnewswire