Delphi, Lincoln, Sirius Take Technology Show on the Road With Delphi Innovations Paving the Future
Delphi's wireless LAN connectivity and mobile TV are the Centerpiece of Ford's Lincoln, Mercury 'Rising' Technology campaign
LOS ANGELES, May 17 -- Delphi Corp.'s advanced wireless communications and entertainment technologies will take center stage as Lincoln, the luxury division of Ford Motor Company, takes to the road to showcase future innovations in mobile entertainment connectivity. An advanced Delphi audio system with embedded 802.11 WiFi capabilities is the "front and center" focal point for Lincoln's 2004 Lincoln Aviator demonstration vehicle. In addition, helping to make the rear seat the "best seat" in the vehicle is Delphi's overhead rear-seat entertainment system. The entertainment system uses a SIRIUS Satellite Radio stream to bring real-time TV and audio entertainment to the Aviator.
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"We are pleased to team with Lincoln and Sirius to help educate consumers about the exciting futuristic wireless technologies expected to be introduced in vehicles to enhance mobile information and entertainment," said Bob Schumacher, Delphi Electronics & Safety general director of wireless products. "Lincoln luxury on the outside and Delphi technology on the inside provides an awesome combination of convenience and innovation."
Delphi's wireless local area network (LAN) radio uses 802.11 technology allowing data to be transmitted at speeds of up to 54 Mbps (megabits per second) without wires over hundreds of feet. The network connects the vehicle's in-dash radio to personal computers, thus enabling users to download and play licensed audio files or retrieve audio newspapers, books or other content and download the information into the vehicle.
Operating within the 2.4 GHz ISM band, IEEE 802.11 is an established wireless networking standard that eliminates the need for connecting wires. Network cards using the standard are available for personal digital assistants, laptop and desktop computers to make wireless connections to the Internet.
"Our wireless local area network enabled radio is an innovative concept in the Delphi product portfolio that holds great promise for vehicle makers, networks, Internet appliances and many commercial applications," Schumacher said. "Wireless local area networks are packed with almost unlimited potential in areas like high value entertainment transfer, keeping maintenance records, getting real-time traffic information or even allowing consumers to control home appliances in the driveway."
In addition, there is growing interest in establishing a variety of developing new business models around the technology. One area that is showing interest is using the gasoline pump kiosk to do commercial transactions and sell more than gas at the pump. Delphi has even demonstrated downloading rental movies into the car using the technology.
"Gas stations today gain as much revenue from selling convenience goods as gas," said Schumacher. "Coupled with today's busy lifestyles, it makes perfect sense to fill up the gas tank and the bit tank with a rental movie for the children at the same time. The real beauty with this business model is that you increase productivity at the gas pump and don't have to return the movie."
Delphi is showcasing its mobile TV capabilities on the Lincoln Aviator vehicle, using a SIRIUS Satellite Radio stream. A Delphi/SIRIUS receiver system decodes the digitally compressed video stream and plays it back on Delphi's rear-seat entertainment system. The simulated streaming video (for the demonstration) is being shown alongside real-time satellite audio programming to provide listeners satellite TV programming and/or radio. SIRIUS has already announced that it will add TV programming on its service.
"Satellite video in vehicles is the next logical step in satellite based mobile entertainment," Schumacher said. "Satellite radio is already a big hit. Wireless video networks will fulfill needs for more personalization and sophistication in vehicles to make traveling more fun."
As the most experienced provider of mobile entertainment in the industry, Delphi has produced more than 2 million satellite radio receivers and a total of 256 million audio systems since being first to put an in-dash receiver in an instrument panel in 1936. In addition, the company has produced a long number of firsts in audio and pioneered many other electronic innovations. For more information about Delphi and its subsidiaries, visit Delphi's media room at www.delphi.com/media.
Digital satellite radio is only activated in the continental U.S. and requires an activation and monthly fee and satellite reception may be unavailable if the signal from the satellite is obstructed (e.g. the car is in a tunnel).
All statements contained or incorporated in this press release which address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate may occur in the future (including statements relating to future sales or earnings expectations, volume growth, awarded sales contracts or statements expressing general optimism about future operating results) are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of management's current views and assumptions with respect to future events. Important factors, risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ from those expressed in our forward-looking statements are discussed in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003. In particular, the achievement of projected levels of revenue over a long-term supply contract will depend in part on vehicle production rates which may be affected by, among other things, changes in operations, financial condition or market share of our customer and changes in general economic conditions, changes in the automotive industry and changes in our ability to satisfy service, technology, quality and requirements. Delphi does not intend or assume any obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.
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