DENSO and TOSHIBA Jointly Develop World's First Multi-OS Environment for Car Navigation Systems

Supports both micro-ITRON and Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Automotive

Prototype Systems to be Demonstrated at Tron Show 2004 in Tokyo

TOKYO and KARIYA CITY, Japan, Dec. 10 -- Toshiba Corporation and DENSO Corporation, a leading supplier of advanced automotive systems, including car navigation systems, today announced joint development of the world's first multi-OS (operating system) environment (software) for car navigation systems. The multi-OS environment provides single-chip support for both micro-ITRON, the operating system for embedded devices, and Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Automotive, enabling the use of advanced automotive systems, provided by micro-ITRON, and multi-media applications such as the Internet, provided by Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Automotive concurrently.

The multi-OS environment can be applied to the SoC (system on chip), "NAVIEM," which is used for DENSO car navigation systems. "NAVIEM," which was jointly developed by DENSO and Toshiba, features Toshiba's TX49 embedded CPU.

Demonstration boards of the multi-OS-based TX49 processor and the DENSO car navigation system (which incorporates the latest version of "NAVIEM") operating on the multi-OS environment, will be featured at the Tron Show 2004, Dec. 11-13, 2003, at the Tokyo International Forum in Japan.

The TX49 core, based on the RISC architecture developed by MIPS Technologies, Inc., provides full support for SoC, assuring the flexibility required for integration of diverse applications and the scalability required for the integration of wide-ranging functionality. As a result, "NAVIEM" provides automotive design engineers with the freedom and ability to address diverse requirements with a single-chip solution.

"We expect that this multi-OS environment will be a de facto standard platform for car navigation systems and provide plenty of benefits to the car users," said Mitsuharu Kato, DENSO managing director in charge of the ITS product division.

"We recognize DENSO as a leader in high-performance interface technology for in-car navigation systems," said Toshinori Moriyasu, executive vice president of Semiconductor Company at Toshiba Corporation. "Working together, we have developed a solution that supports the key OS for embedded applications in automobiles, and that facilitates rapid development and deployment of cost-efficient navigation systems. We have established a valuable partnership that will advance the introduction of next-generation, high-performance car navigation systems to the marketplace."

"We are excited to add DENSO and Toshiba to our list of partners in one of the most advanced markets for in-vehicle devices in the world," said Bob McKenzie, general manager of Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit. "We look forward to helping DENSO and Toshiba develop next generation in-vehicle devices that leverage the real-time automotive grade performance and rich PC grade multi-media capabilities inherent in our Windows Automotive platform."

"This design win by Toshiba extends the reach of the industry-standard MIPS architecture into the fast-growing automotive infotainment marketplace," said Jack Browne, vice president of worldwide sales at MIPS Technologies, a leading provider of microprocessor cores and architectures for the embedded industry. "Now consumers will have an enhanced user experience through in-car automotive devices, such as cockpit navigational displays and in-console DVD players, that take advantage of high performance characteristics unique to the MIPS architecture. Moving forward, we will continue to bring innovative technologies to market, such as programmability and multi-threading options to our architecture, to ensure customers can meet and exceed the fast-changing requirements of numerous high-growth embedded markets."

About DENSO

DENSO Corporation, headquartered in Kariya, Aichi prefecture, Japan, is a leading global supplier of advanced technology, systems and components. Its customers include all the world's major carmakers. Worldwide, the company employs 90,000 people in 31 countries and regions, including Japan. Consolidated global sales for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003 totaled US$19.4 billion. DENSO common stock is traded on the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya stock exchanges. For more information, go to www.globaldenso.com . In the Americas (North, Central and South America), DENSO employs 14,000 people at 32 companies with consolidated sales for the above fiscal year totaling US$4.5 billion. For more information, go to www.densocorp-na.com .

About Toshiba

Toshiba Corporation is a leader in the development and manufacture of electronic devices and components, information and communication systems, consumer products and power systems. The company's ability to integrate wide- ranging capabilities, from hardware to software and innovative services, assures its position as an innovator in diverse fields and many businesses. In semiconductors, Toshiba continues to promote its leadership in the fast growing system-on-chip market and to build on its world-class position in NAND flash memories, analog devices and discrete devices. Toshiba has approximately 166,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of over US$47 billion. Visit Toshiba's website at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm .

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