ot--Motorola and Mercedes-Benz Offer Drivers Digital Cell
Phone With Hands-Free Capabilities
SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Motorola and Mercedes-Benz USA have teamed up to offer drivers the first
fully-integrated StarTAC(R) digital cell phone with hands-free capabilities so drivers can keep their eyes on the road and hands
on the wheel.
(Photo: NewsCom: newscom.com bin/prnh/20000113/CGTH043 )
Through hands-free audio, drivers communicate via vehicle speakers and integrated microphones so they won't have to hold
the phone up to their ears. They simply speak out loud. And with voice recognition technology, which is available on select
Mercedes-Benz Model Year 2000 vehicles, drivers can make calls through simple verbal commands such as ''Dial home'' or
''Get phone book.'' Since the phone responds to the voice of any authorized user, several different drivers can use the phone.
Voice recognition is an available option on all Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans, E-Class sedans and wagons, CLK coupes and
convertibles, CL coupes, and SL coupe/roadsters.
''With all the concerns about cell phone use while driving, we tend to overlook the fact that cell phones are used everyday as a
security tool,'' said Marios Zenios, corporate vice president and general manager, Motorola Telematics Communications
Group.
Government officials say cell phones help improve police response times to accidents and help rescue stranded motorists. In
fact, a recent study completed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed nearly 18 million emergency calls
were made to 911 from cell phones in 1998.
''Between commuting to and from work, running errands and taking children from one activity to the next, Americans spend a
good amount of time each day in their cars,'' Zenios added. ''During that time, they want information -- they want to be in
touch -- and they depend on their cell phones for that.''
''Drivers rely on Mercedes-Benz to bring them not only the highest quality technology available in the vehicle but also the safest
and this is a giant step in that direction,'' said Peter Patrone, department manager of advanced product planning at MBUSA.
''When engineering our vehicles and working with partners on the in-vehicle technologies that our drivers demand, safety is a
top priority for Mercedes-Benz.''
Other Integrated Features of the StarTAC Digital Phone
One of Motorola's smallest and lightest wireless phones on the market today, the StarTAC digital integrated phone uses one of
the most advanced digital cellular technologies to help reduce background noise, manage calls more efficiently, and increase
security and network capacity. The new phone also offers a dual mode for analog operation in places where digital service is
not yet available.
Because the StarTAC digital phone is so deeply integrated with all of the vehicle's electronic systems, drivers with this phone
are offered:
-- Multi-function dashboard and steering wheel control. Because the phone
is fully synchronized with the vehicle's dashboard and steering wheel
controls, drivers can make calls by pressing buttons on the in-dash
display and/or the steering wheel.
-- Memory synchronicity, which allows phone book and other data to
automatically upload from the phone into the vehicle's audio system
display. Drivers no longer need to manually upload memory data; and
-- Integrated radio features that help reduce distraction by automatically
muting the radio and pausing the CD or cassette player when a call is
sent or received.
When connected to the vehicle, the fully integrated StarTAC digital phone uses the vehicle's external antenna for stronger
signaling and better reception and the deep integration of the phone coupled with pre-wiring also makes the phone easier to
install and service than previous systems.
The StarTAC digital phone also is packed with special dialing and messaging features, such as a built-in phone book to hold up
to 99 names and numbers as well as a ''smart button'' for one-button calling, menu access and feature selection. Plus, the
portable handset lifts out to go anywhere with its owner, and a discreet VibraCall(R) alert quietly notifies users of incoming calls
when they're carrying the phone. The StarTAC digital integrated phone is available for either CDMA (Code Division Multiple
Access) or TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) service.
Mercedes-Benz USA, a DaimlerChrysler company, is headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey and employs approximately
1,500 people in 20 locations across the U.S. Through a nationwide network of over 300 retailers, Mercedes-Benz USA sold
170,245 vehicles in the U.S. during 1998, a 39 percent increase over the previous year, setting the highest sales volume ever in
its history. Currently ten percent ahead of last year, the company expects to set a new sales record in 1999.
Motorola (NYSE: MOT - news) is a global leader in providing integrated communications solutions and embedded electronic
solutions. Sales in 1998 were $29.4 billion. Motorola's Telematics Communications Group (TCG) is part of the company's
Integrated Electronic Systems Sector (IESS), a leading provider of advanced electronic products and systems for customers
integrating electronics into their products. Motorola IESS solutions provide the brains -- the DigitalDNA(TM) -- that make
electronic systems smart, powerful and easy to use. Motorola IESS designs and manufactures electronic solutions for
automotive, communications, imaging, manufacturing systems, computer, consumer and industrial markets.
SOURCE: Motorola
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