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January
24, 2000 |
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| Clifford
Enters Telematics With Net-Based
Car PC |
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Clifford
Electronics introduced the InfoTrack
1 car computer and the MobileTrace
1 telematics product which offers
advanced vehicle location and emergency
assistance. Clifford Electronics
entered the telematics market at
CES, with two new products, including
an Internet-based car computer.
Called InfoTrack 1, the car computer
is essentially a 486 "network PC"
black box with GPS and modem that
is designed to hook up to a Windows
CE PDA. (A PalmPilot interface will
be available shortly.) It provides
real-time turn-by-turn navigation,
e-mail and fax, and dynamic concierge
services, the company said.
The InfoTrack 1 automatically recognizes
the PDA when connected and can also
be hooked into the car electronics
to perform automatic car diagnostics
and maintenance alerts.
All InfoTrack functions are performed
in real time to allow automatic
monitoring of the car functions.
The system can immediately notify
a participating local automotive
service center of problems for either
remote diagnostics or to schedule
a repair appointment.
InfoTrack 1 also performs real-time
turn-by-turn map and voice-driven
navigation, so drivers are "dynamically
rerouted" if they make a wrong turn.
Other capabilities of InfoTrack
1 include e-mail send and receive,
and tax-out, as well as real-time
traffic monitoring, concierge services
and roadside assistance. (The system
can be preset to call AAA in an
emergency.)
InfoTrack 1 is expected to be linked
to stores and services so that,
when combined with the GPS locator,
it can send "reminders" to drivers
as they pass a particular store.
(If the user passes McDonald's at
noon, it might suggest he or she
go there for lunch -- and offer
a coupon special.)The system will
come with an optional text-to-speech
voice module for safe operation
while driving.
InfoMove, Seattle, hosts the server
and provides the software for the
system. An ISP for the system will
be announced. The suggested retail
price is expected to fall in the
$600-$650 range, with availability
slated for the fourth quarter.
Clifford's sales and marketing VP
Tom Mitchell, in announcing the
new products, said, "We're committed
to telematics. We see it as a natural
extension of our security business
and a direction for the future of
our company."
"No one has done anything like this,"
he added. "Other systems use live
operators. We are set up so that
the software takes GPS information
and compares it to our server information
and delivers voice-to-text information
in response."
The basic unit unveiled by Clifford
is a telematics product called the
MobileTrace 1. It is essentially
a black box with built-in GPS and
modem to allow advanced vehicle
location and emergency assistance.
The MobileTrace 1 has a panic button
that is monitored 24 hours a day,
seven days a week by a live call
center run by start-up service provider
Televoke, San Francisco.
The call center also has a user
profile of the driver, "so if you
have a heart condition, we'll not
only notify police but your hospital
and doctor as well," said Mitchell.
MobileTrace 1 also provides vehicle
location and offers many user options
for convenience or security alerts
(when it is combined with a Clifford
security system). Users can preset
the system (via an Internet website)
to call their cellphone, home or
office for specific security breaches
(as an example, if the door sensor
is triggered, it can call a cellphone).
The MobileTrace 1 is expected to
ship at the end of the second quarter
at a suggested retail price of $500.
The Televoke service will carry
a basic fee of $9.95 per month. |
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