Underscoring its commitment to delivering industry-leading service, technology, and innovation, BMW has announced the availability of Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI) through a partnership with Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network. This new premium service feature will offer timely traffic information and, for the first time on any production vehicle sold in the United States, dynamic rerouting on navigation systems in select 2007 BMW models, i.e. the X5, M5, M6, and the 3, 5, and 6 Series models. Set to launch this September, RTTI represents the company’s latest addition to its list of premium consumer features and benefits.
Most 2007 BMW Models with Navigation Systems will be Enhanced with Subscription-Free Clear Channel Traffic Data for Major Metropolitan Areas Across the United States. This deal marks the first broad, exclusive agreement for CCTTN with a major automotive manufacturer.
“This is a significant milestone for Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network as BMW is the first to supply its automotive customers with lifetime traffic information, potentially setting a new standard for terms of service with other auto manufacturers down the road,” said Jeff Littlejohn, Executive Vice President of Distribution Development for Clear Channel Radio. “We consider this agreement with BMW, the leader in automotive quality and innovation, to be the biggest endorsement of our traffic network to date.”
“BMW has offered traffic information linked to our navigation system in Europe for several years. Thanks to Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network, BMW can now confidently offer its customers in the United States a similar technology,” said Alan Harris, Vice President of Aftersales for BMW of North America.
“As an independent company deeply rooted in innovation, we are extremely excited to add RTTI to our robust suite of offerings,” said Alan Harris, Vice President of Aftersales for BMW of North America. “At no recurring cost to the customer, RTTI transforms the navigation system from an option that is mainly used only when customers are lost or going to an unknown destination, to a daily benefit that helps them reach their destinations more efficiently and effortlessly than ever before. We will continue to seek groundbreaking ideas, technologies and features that give drivers peace of mind and improve the daily driving experience.”
Unlike other automobile manufacturers that charge a recurring monthly fee for RTTI, or require customers to pay for an additional satellite radio service, BMW has included RTTI as part of the cost of the navigation system for select 2007 BMW models. There are no activation fees or recurring monthly charges to BMW customers for 4 years.
Total Traffic Network’s real-time traffic data, covering 44 major metropolitan areas across the U.S., will be included as part of the cost of the navigation system, so there are no monthly fees. The growing list of services currently using Total Traffic Network’s real-time reports include: Garmin International, Nextel, Verizon SMS, Kenwood Electronics, Tom Tom Navigator GPS, MSN Autos, MapPoint, Cingular QPass, ATX, AAA, Rand McNally, Weatherbug, Microsoft SPOT, Siemens VDO, AudioVox, Mio Technology and Cobra.
In addition to a broad array of portable GPS devices, Garmin International now provides the traffic information to subscribers with Nextel and Sprint mobile phones via Garmin Mobile. In July, Avis and Budget Car Rental, the world’s second-largest car rental business, announced that their “Where 2” in car navigation, would include Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network data used in conjunction with Garmin C550 navigators to alert drivers to traffic accidents, road construction and weather delays and route them around the problems.
BMW’s new RTTI service will be available in as many as 44 major metropolitan markets through Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network, Clear Channel Radio’s award-winning programming and technology service that delivers Real Time Traffic Information directly to vehicles over its extensive network of FM radio stations.
With the help of Clear Channel’s broadcast network, customers no longer have to search for traffic reports on radio stations to be in-the-know about traffic situations. Up-to-date traffic information is compiled from a variety of sources including FM radio stations, highway-embedded sensors, video monitors on bridges and roadways, and local traffic monitoring centers. Traffic data is then streamed to a dedicated tuner in the car’s radio and transferred directly to the navigation system, so customers can receive traffic updates from a variety of stations, 24 hours a day, seven days a week — even when the radio is turned off or when the customer is listening to other entertainment sources such as a CD or iPod. The navigation system calculates the best route considering the traffic incidents and potential delays. In addition to alerting the driver to where the traffic is, if the delay is calculated to be more than 5 minutes then the navigation system will offer alternative routes around the congestion, either automatically or at the choice of the driver.
About Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network
Clear Channel Radio is the first broadcaster to launch a ground-breaking programming and technology service delivering real-time traffic data directly to vehicles, using its own network of reporters, traffic cameras, helicopters and airplanes — Total Traffic Network. Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network now serves more than 125 metropolitan markets in three countries, including the United States, Mexico and New Zealand. Total Traffic Network delivers real-time traffic data via in-car or portable navigation systems, broadcast media, wireless and Internet-based services. For more information, please log on to www.realtimetraffic.net.
About Clear Channel Radio
Clear Channel Radio is a leading radio company focused on serving local communities across the U.S. with more than 110 million listeners choosing Clear Channel Radio programming each week. The company’s content can be heard on AM/FM stations, HD digital radio channels, on the Internet, via iPods, through Motorola’s iRadio cell-phone service, and via mobile-navigation devices from Cobra, Garmin, Kenwood and others. The company’s operations include radio broadcasting, syndication and independent media representation. Clear Channel Radio is a division of Clear Channel Communications, Inc. (NYSE:CCU), a leading global media and entertainment company. More information on the company can be found at www.clearchannel.com.