Motorola and Avis Launch 'Avis Assist' Navigation Service
Avis Car Renters Receive Turn-By-Turn Directions on Mobile Phone Using Motorola's VIAMOTO Location-Based Software Applications
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. and PARSIPPANY, N.J., Feb. 26 -- Motorola, Inc. and Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. announced today that they have engaged in a test market of the "Avis Assist" navigation service. For a daily fee, Avis customers at the Dallas Fort Worth airport will now be able to rent the phone-based navigation service that literally "talks you through" directions to a destination, speaking street names and maneuvers along the way.
"Avis Assist" is scheduled to expand to Dulles International Airport in the Washington D.C. area in early March.
Developed by Motorola, "Avis Assist" is more practical than viewing a foldout map. "Avis Assist" enables Avis renters to receive spoken turn-by- turn directions to their destinations on a GPS-enabled Motorola iDEN i88s mobile handset, which is outfitted with a speakerphone. The service is continuously updated with map data and is integrated with point-of-interest databases to provide users with the most accurate and up-to-date navigation services possible.
Via speed dialing, the customer connects with the call center and provides the Avis Advisor with a destination address or requests a directory search for a point of interest in the area. A route is then downloaded to the Avis Assist unit, the Motorola iDEN handset, and turn-by-turn directions are provided.
According to the Airports Council International, DFW was the sixth busiest airport in the world in 2001 with over 55 million passengers. DFW is also home to one of the busiest Avis locations.
"We believe that the entire location-based services market will benefit greatly with forward thinking enterprises like Avis," said Neal Campbell, general manager of location services for Motorola's Personal Communications Sector. "Motorola's VIAMOTO suite of software is designed to work with our customers goals of discovering new revenue generating services that meet the needs of their consumers."
Scott Deaver, executive vice president of marketing for Avis, comments, "Avis is committed to providing technologically advanced products that exceed our customers' expectations. Motorola and the other partners have developed a portable navigation system that gives our customers a system they can enjoy in whatever vehicle they choose to rent."
For the DFW market test, Motorola will provide its i88s GPS mobile phones and VIAMOTO location software. TeleCel will provide fulfillment service for the product. Unity Call Center Group will provide call center services.
About Motorola
Motorola, Inc. is a global leader in providing integrated communications and embedded electronic solutions. Sales in 2002 were $26.7 billion. Motorola is a global corporate citizen dedicated to ethical business practices and pioneering important technologies that make things smarter and life better for people, honored traditions that began when the company was founded 75 years ago this year. For further information, please visit www.motorola.com .
About Avis
Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate the world's second largest general-use car rental brand, providing business and leisure customers with a wide range of services at more than 1,700 locations in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Latin/American Caribbean region. Avis is one of the world's top brands for customer loyalty, ranking as the number one brand overall among 158 ranked in the 2002 Brand Keys(R) Customer Loyalty Awards. Avis is also the exclusive car rental partner of Upromise(R), the way to save for college. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cendant Corporation , a diversified global provider of business and consumer services primarily within the real estate and travel sectors. For further information visit www.avis.com or www.cendant.com/media .
MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020307/MOTLOGOhttp://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020415/MOTNOTAGLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, +1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840