San Antonio, TX and Kirkland, WA – January 31, 2007 – Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network, a division of Clear Channel Radio, and Inrix, Inc. today announced that they are extending their existing partnership to now include real-time traffic speed data from Inrix’s ‘Smart Dust Network,’ which intelligently combines the largest GPS-enabled vehicle probe network in the world with speed information from conventional road sensors and numerous other sources.
Clear Channel will deliver enhanced real-time traffic information via its Total Traffic Network in U.S. cities beginning at the end of first quarter 2007. Total Traffic Network is conducting ongoing ground truth testing of Inrix data using rigorous testing standards in preparation for market rollouts. The integration enables Clear Channel’s automotive and portable navigation customers including BMW, Garmin, Tom Tom, Mio/Mitac, NAVIGON, Cobra Electronics, Siemens VDO and others to provide higher quality, traffic-influenced dynamic routing and traffic congestion maps incorporating the broadest coverage of speed information available anywhere.
“Clear Channel has taken a leadership role in investing in the development of a high quality traffic data solution with comprehensive U.S. metropolitan coverage,” said Bryan Mistele, President & CEO, Inrix. “Total Traffic Network’s testing and acceptance of Inrix data is a significant endorsement of Inrix’s unique approach of intelligently combining traffic data from hundreds of sources enabling the delivery of highly reliable, broad coverage of traffic information to automakers and device manufacturers.”
Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network currently deploys select Inrix real-time speed data, derived from traditional road sensors, in a dozen U.S. markets. With this enhanced relationship, Total Traffic Network is significantly expanding its real-time speed market coverage by leveraging Inrix’s Smart Dust Network, which combines anonymous speed and flow information from traditional road sensors, toll tags and more than 625,000 commercial fleet vehicles, delivery trucks and taxis across the United States. Total Traffic Network now has immediate access to real-time flow information from Inrix in 92 metropolitan markets, representing more than five times the coverage of conventional road sensor networks.
Jeff Littlejohn, Executive Vice President-Distribution, Clear Channel Radio stated, “The combination of Total Traffic’s incident information and Inrix’s real-time speed data with Clear Channel’s unparalleled RDS-TMC delivery network will enable Total Traffic Network customers to deliver the highest quality navigation experiences to their end users.”
Lance Locher, Senior Vice President, Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network stated, “The ongoing testing of all of Total Traffic’s combined information sources, including the Inrix solution, is key in garnering the trust of consumers who rely on our traffic data. Our continuous goal is to provide the most accurate and reliable user experience possible.”
Total Traffic Network’s real-time traffic data, covering 49 major metropolitan areas across the U.S., is included as part of the cost of the BMW navigation system, so there are no monthly fees. Other customers 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, Mio Technology, and Cobra Electronics.
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.
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 130 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.
