Ford, Features Smartnav

CRANFIELD, England, May 25, 2004 --

Ford Motor Company Limited has added the Smartnav satellite navigation system by Trafficmaster to its range of Supplier Branded Accessories for fitment on all Ford models. Smartnav will be available across the Ford dealership network in the UK from 7th June 2004.

Ford has consistently seen its cars top the list of the most popular vehicles in the UK, and chose to add Smartnav to its accessory list because of Smartnav's market leadership within the satellite navigation market.

Smartnav is operated through a button on the dashboard that connects the driver to Smartnav PAs, real operators who are on hand 24 hours a day to verify destination details and put them into a central routing computer. The computer uses Trafficmaster's traffic data to calculate the best route and download it to the car within seconds. The driver is then given step-by-step verbal instructions throughout the journey to the final destination. If new traffic problems arise en-route, the driver is alerted and Smartnav will find a better alternative route, where possible.

Simon Rutherford, Mondeo Brand Manager at Ford, comments: "Ford is committed to providing outstanding products and services to its customers. Smartnav adheres to this obligation as it offers an exceptional navigation product that is value for money, easy to use and includes a number of other in-car services that benefit the driver."

The Smartnav PAs also support emergency and breakdown assistance and a concierge service, enabling drivers to order wine and flowers for any occasion.

Adrian Joseph, Group Sales and Marketing Director at Trafficmaster, adds: "This is a great partnership as both companies offer leading products in each of their sectors. Ford dealerships are an ideal channel to promote and sell Smartnav. It is a good fit for Ford's customer profile, which ranges from the business man on the road through to the family travelling on holiday."

Smartnav can be purchased through Ford dealers for GBP699 including VAT and installation. An annual subscription costs GBP120.

About Trafficmaster

Founded in 1988, Trafficmaster Plc is the UK's leading journey management company providing high quality satellite navigation, traffic data and vehicle tracking systems.

Trafficmaster's leading product is Smartnav, an easy to use, technologically advanced, satellite navigation system that guides you around the jams. Smartnav uses Trafficmaster's unique live, incident, historic and predictive traffic data to calculate the optimum route at the start of your journey and will continue to monitor the route for delays, re-routing you around jams until you reach your destination. The Smartnav service also incorporates nationwide safety camera alerts, GPS stolen vehicle tracking, emergency and breakdown service 24-hour personal assistant support.

For more information please visit www.trafficmaster.co.uk or www.smartnav.com

Georgina Osborn, email: georgina.osborn@trafficmaster.co.uk, telephone +44-1234-759315 or Michele Murphy, email: michele.murphy@trafficmaster.co.uk, telephone +44-1234-759309.