Mercedes-Benz USA Offers a First for U.S. Drivers: Destinations Straight From Internet to Car

    MONTVALE, N.J., Aug. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today
 announced a first for U.S. drivers: the ability to send directions directly
 from their computers to their vehicles. The new technology, called Search &
 Send, which will be available September 5, has been developed in
 partnership with Google, Yahoo! and DaimlerChrysler Research, Engineering
 and Design North America (Palo Alto, CA). It is being phased into the
 Mercedes-Benz model line starting with select vehicles equipped with Tele
 Aid, the company's telematics and emergency response system.
     The Search & Send feature allows drivers to plot destinations,
 addresses and points of interest through the highly popular map sections of
 the Google or Yahoo! Maps websites and then simply click on a newly
 introduced "Send to Car" icon. The information is then sent directly to the
 vehicle's GPS navigation unit. When the driver gets into the vehicle,
 pushing the i-button of the Tele Aid system downloads the destination
 directly to the vehicle's navigation system and prompts the driver as to
 whether to start route guidance immediately or save the information for
 later use.
     "Given the increasing amount of time people spend in their vehicles,
 we're always looking for ways to make that time more productive, efficient
 and enjoyable," said Sascha Simon, manager of telematics for MBUSA. "The
 advantage to Search & Send is that customers can surf the Internet from
 their home computers -- or from any Internet-connected device such as a PDA
 or cell phone -- pick out where they want to go, utilize Google or Yahoo!
 Maps to get the directions and then send the information to their vehicle.
 Then they get in the car and go, without having to input addresses into the
 GPS system. They can also have friends or family pull down a destination
 and send the information to them in the car. We think this will be an
 extremely well- received progression in our telematics service. It's this
 type of convenience that customers are looking for, delivered in an
 intelligent and simple way."
     The Search & Send feature debuts not only on high-end Mercedes-Benz
 models -- the S-Class sedan and CL-Class coupe -- but also on the
 much-anticipated new-generation C-Class model line which is currently
 arriving at dealer showrooms across the country. Search & Send will be
 phased in on additional Mercedes-Benz models during the coming year.
     The Mercedes-Benz Tele Aid system, pioneered in 1998 and provided
 through Texas-based ATX Group, provides information and location-specific
 roadside assistance, stolen vehicle recovery and emergency assistance to
 subscribing Mercedes-Benz owners at the touch of a button.
     Additional information on Search & Send is available at
 www.mbusa.com/searchandsend.
     About Mercedes-Benz USA
     Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is
 responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz
 products in the United States. In 2006, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales
 record of 248,080 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in
 its history and achieving 13 consecutive years of sales growth. More
 information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at
 www.mbusa.com.
     About Yahoo
     Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most
 trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo!'s mission is to connect
 people to their passions, their communities, and the world's knowledge.
 Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
     About ATX
     Based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, and Dusseldorf, Germany, ATX Group
 is the world's largest provider of personalized 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 also customizes 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. For more information, visit www.atxg.com.
 
 

SOURCE Mercedes-Benz USA