Strategy Analytics: Automated Lane Departure Warning System Now Available for SUVs; Vehicle Rollover Avoidance - Added Benefit

NEWTON, Mass.--Feb. 1, 20055, 2005--The new lane departure warning (LDW) system, aimed at reducing a major cause of vehicle rollover, is ready for deployment in automobiles, according to a new report from Strategy Analytics, a leading Massachusetts-based research firm. LDW, common in the heavy commercial vehicle market, is being deployed in the Infiniti FX SUV as the first general purpose safety application of the technology in the United States.

Recently the US National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) claimed that as many as 1,575,000 accidents annually are caused by distracted drivers--many resulting in unintended lane departures. The US government identifies lane departures as a major cause of rollover incidents involving sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and light trucks.

"LDW will be deployed initially in the SUV and minivan market, which includes 'vulnerable' vehicles that are prone to rollovers," said Mark Fitzgerald, Senior Industry Analyst, Automotive Electronics and Telematics Practice at Strategy Analytics. "Rapid adoption of LDW technology in light vehicles would require ease of system integration and, ideally, laws mandating this new safety feature. A bill has been introduced to the US Congress that provides financial incentives to buyers of commercial trucks and passenger vehicles to include safety-oriented technologies such as the LDW system."

The typical LDW system utilizes a forward-looking CCD or CMOS camera mounted behind the windshield to continuously track visible lane markings. This is linked to a computer with image recognition software analyzing vehicle speed, yaw and steering angles. Infiniti, the luxury division of Nissan is the first auto manufacturer to offer LDW in passenger vehicles for the North American market. However, its LDW system is bundled with a Mobile Entertainment option package with a MSRP of $1,750.

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About Strategy Analytics

Strategy Analytics, Inc., a global research and consulting firm, provides timely insights and strategic business solutions to companies operating at the convergence of information, communications and entertainment technologies. With worldwide headquarters in Newton, MA and principal offices in England, France and Germany, Strategy Analytics focuses on market opportunities and challenges in the areas of Automotive Electronics, Broadband, Telematics, Wireless Strategies and Enabling Technologies. For more information, see www.strategyanalytics.com.