WASHINGTON, D.C. -- XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading satellite radio service with more than four million subscribers, today announced that XM NavTraffic, the first nationwide satellite traffic information service for GPS navigation systems, will be expanding to Orlando and Tampa, Florida, on June 15. XM NavTraffic, which displays current traffic information for a driver's personal route on the navigation map, was recently honored with a prestigious award from the telematics industry organization Telematics Update.
The XM NavTraffic service, powered by NAVTEQ Traffic, is currently available for 20 major metro markets. The addition of Orlando and Tampa on June 15 is part of an ongoing effort to expand the XM NavTraffic service to more high-volume traffic markets throughout the U.S.
Utilizing XM's coast-to-coast satellite signal, the XM NavTraffic service continuously delivers traffic data directly to factory-installed and aftermarket GPS navigation units. XM NavTraffic can provide an overlay of color-coded traffic flow information on the map of a navigation system, which indicates how fast the traffic is currently moving on a driver's chosen route. Accidents and construction sites are identified on the map by icons. XM NavTraffic can show at-a-glance traffic conditions between the vehicle and the driver's destination, allowing the navigation system to calculate detours around a traffic jam before the car is caught in traffic. The traffic data is aggregated by NAVTEQ Traffic from multiple data sources, including police and emergency services, commercial traffic data providers, road sensors, traffic cameras, eyewitness reports, and real-time aircraft surveillance reports.
XM NavTraffic made its debut in fall 2004 as a standard feature on the 2005 Acura RL and is now available as an option on the 2005 Cadillac CTS. Pioneer Electronics recently introduced the first aftermarket in-car navigation systems compatible with XM NavTraffic, the Pioneer AVIC-N2 and the AVIC-D1, which can fit virtually any vehicle on the road.
"XM has just begun to tap into the potential of this powerful technology, and we look forward to expanding this breakthrough service to Orlando and Tampa this week, and more markets in the future," said Roderick MacKenzie, XM's VP of Advanced Applications and Services. "XM NavTraffic will alert drivers in Tampa and Orlando to specific traffic problems on their personal routes so they can anticipate and avoid the congestion."
Separately, XM was named Best Consumer Vehicle Application at the 2005 Telematics Update Awards held in Livonia, Michigan, on May 16. An independent panel of judges considered submissions from a wide variety of companies and individuals throughout the telematics industry.
The XM NavTraffic service is offered as a premium data service for an additional $3.99 per month when packaged with the XM Satellite Radio audio subscription.
With the addition of its two latest markets this week, XM NavTraffic will be available in the following 22 markets: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco/Oakland, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa and Washington DC.
For more details about the XM NavTraffic service, please visit www.XMNavTraffic.com
