Clarion Includes WAZE Social Traffic and Navigation App on the Smart Access Cloud Server

CYPRESS, Calif., Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarion Corporation of America, a leader in consumer and commercial mobile electronics, announced today the addition of WAZE to its existing array of in-vehicle apps available via Clarion's  exclusive Smart Access Cloud Server. WAZE is a unique app as it leverages social media and community based activities not just to provide directions on a map, but also offer real-time information on road hazards, traffic jams, accidents and, among other things, location of gas stations en route. Connected to Facebook, the app also has the ability to allow drivers to coordinate among friends in order to arrive at a common destination.

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"We developed our Smart Access Cloud-based system to provide users seamless connectivity and easy access to their favorite apps through their smartphones in a secure and intuitive manner inside their vehicles," stated Allen H. Gharapetian, Clarion's Vice President of Marketing.  "We know the future of in-vehicle entertainment depends on how well the vehicle's infotainment system can integrate with not just smartphones but also the users' habits and expectations when accessing content and activities inside their vehicle. Given that, we have dedicated a great deal of attention to develop technologies and form partnerships with app developers across the globe in order to make sure the in-vehicle infotainment experience is as great and as distraction-free as possible."  

WAZE allows drivers to share information via the large touch screens on Clarion's compatible in-dash infotainment products.  It incorporates graphically vivid maps and icons to alert drivers of road conditions ahead of time and provides real time traffic updates. The app is designed to be intuitive and stores users' favorite locations for future access.

In addition to WAZE, other in-vehicle optimized apps available via Smart Access include:  TuneIn®, Pandora®, Vlingo©, MotionX-GPS Drive, INRIX Traffic, Odyssey® and Clarion's exclusive Tweet4car, FB4car and DriveSuite4car with more to come.  Clarion is continuing to work with multiple other app developers with the goal of offering several more apps designed specifically for in-vehicle use via Smart Access. 

"We give drivers the ability to navigate to their destinations easily, quickly and securely by connecting them to friends and family," stated Di-Ann Eisnor, vice president of platform and partnerships for WAZE. "Our app saves people time on the road and money on gas, and it's fun!"

WAZE for Clarion Smart Access  Compatible Products Features and Benefits:

• Easy to navigate maps with real-time traffic and road information
• Ability to save favorite locations for future access
• Facebook connectivity

To learn more about Smart Access and compatible in-dash products from Clarion, visit www.clarion.com/us

About Clarion
Headquartered in Cypress, California, Clarion Corporation of America is a subsidiary of Japan-based Clarion Co. Ltd, which has been a consolidated subsidiary of the Hitachi Group since 2006. Clarion has been an international leader in car audio and electronics since 1940.  The company is engaged  in the research, development, engineering, design, manufacturing, sales and marketing of mobile entertainment, navigation, infotainment, communication, safety and security products for the automotive, marine, recreational vehicle, commercial fleet and heavy industry environments.  Clarion has been the recipient of numerous excellence awards for design, innovation, support, manufacturing and product reliability from independent organizations.  The company has marketing and sales affiliates in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia.  Clarion is located on the web at www.clarion.com.

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About WAZE
Waze is a free traffic and navigation app, home to the world's largest community of drivers who work together to fight traffic, and save time and gas money on their daily commute. By simply driving with Waze open, drivers passively contribute traffic info that benefits their local driving community. Drivers can also actively report events such as accidents, police traps, or hazards along the way. Aggregating this crowd sourced road info, Waze provides the best real-time routes that bypass traffic, even re-routing drivers as road conditions change.  

The Waze community is over 30 million strong and growing! You can download Waze free in over 25 languages from the iPhone Appstore and Google Play. Start saving valuable time and gas money, and make driving just a little more fun.

SOURCE Clarion Corporation of America