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Motorola and Mercedes-Benz Offer Drivers Digital Cell Phone With Hands-Free Capabilities    

14 January 2000

Motorola and Mercedes-Benz Offer Drivers Digital Cell Phone With Hands-Free Capabilities    

    SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Jan. 13 -- Motorola and Mercedes-Benz USA
have teamed up to offer drivers the first fully-integrated StarTAC(R) digital
cell phone with hands-free capabilities so drivers can keep their eyes on the
road and hands on the wheel.
    (Photo:  NewsCom:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi bin/prnh/20000113/CGTH043 )
    Through hands-free audio, drivers communicate via vehicle speakers and
integrated microphones so they won't have to hold the phone up to their ears.
They simply speak out loud.  And with voice recognition technology, which is
available on select Mercedes-Benz Model Year 2000 vehicles, drivers can make
calls through simple verbal commands such as "Dial home" or "Get phone book."
Since the phone responds to the voice of any authorized user, several
different drivers can use the phone.  Voice recognition is an available option
on all Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans, E-Class sedans and wagons, CLK coupes and
convertibles, CL coupes, and SL coupe/roadsters.
    "With all the concerns about cell phone use while driving, we tend to
overlook the fact that cell phones are used everyday as a security tool," said
Marios Zenios, corporate vice president and general manager, Motorola
Telematics Communications Group.
    Government officials say cell phones help improve police response times to
accidents and help rescue stranded motorists.  In fact, a recent study
completed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed nearly
18 million emergency calls were made to 911 from cell phones in 1998.
    "Between commuting to and from work, running errands and taking
children from one activity to the next, Americans spend a good amount of
time each day in their cars," Zenios added.  "During that time, they want
information -- they want to be in touch -- and they depend on their cell
phones for that."
    "Drivers rely on Mercedes-Benz to bring them not only the highest quality
technology available in the vehicle but also the safest and this is a giant
step in that direction," said Peter Patrone, department manager of advanced
product planning at MBUSA.  "When engineering our vehicles and working with
partners on the in-vehicle technologies that our drivers demand, safety is a
top priority for Mercedes-Benz."

    Other Integrated Features of the StarTAC Digital Phone
    One of Motorola's smallest and lightest wireless phones on the market
today, the StarTAC digital integrated phone uses one of the most advanced
digital cellular technologies to help reduce background noise, manage calls
more efficiently, and increase security and network capacity.  The new phone
also offers a dual mode for analog operation in places where digital service
is not yet available.
    Because the StarTAC digital phone is so deeply integrated with all of the
vehicle's electronic systems, drivers with this phone are offered:

    -- Multi-function dashboard and steering wheel control.  Because the phone
       is fully synchronized with the vehicle's dashboard and steering wheel
       controls, drivers can make calls by pressing buttons on the in-dash
       display and/or the steering wheel.
    -- Memory synchronicity, which allows phone book and other data to
       automatically upload from the phone into the vehicle's audio system
       display.  Drivers no longer need to manually upload memory data; and
    -- Integrated radio features that help reduce distraction by automatically
       muting the radio and pausing the CD or cassette player when a call is
       sent or received.

    When connected to the vehicle, the fully integrated StarTAC digital phone
uses the vehicle's external antenna for stronger signaling and better
reception and the deep integration of the phone coupled with pre-wiring also
makes the phone easier to install and service than previous systems.
    The StarTAC digital phone also is packed with special dialing and
messaging features, such as a built-in phone book to hold up to 99 names and
numbers as well as a "smart button" for one-button calling, menu access and
feature selection.  Plus, the portable handset lifts out to go anywhere with
its owner, and a discreet VibraCall(R) alert quietly notifies users of
incoming calls when they're carrying the phone.  The StarTAC digital
integrated phone is available for either CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)
or TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) service.
    Mercedes-Benz USA, a DaimlerChrysler company, is headquartered in
Montvale, New Jersey and employs approximately 1,500 people in 20 locations
across the U.S.  Through a nationwide network of over 300 retailers,
Mercedes-Benz USA sold 170,245 vehicles in the U.S. during 1998, a 39 percent
increase over the previous year, setting the highest sales volume ever in
its history.   Currently ten percent ahead of last year, the company expects
to set a new sales record in 1999.
    Motorola is a global leader in providing integrated
communications solutions and embedded electronic solutions.   Sales in 1998
were $29.4 billion.  Motorola's Telematics Communications Group (TCG) is part
of the company's Integrated Electronic Systems Sector (IESS), a leading
provider of advanced electronic products and systems for customers integrating
electronics into their products.  Motorola IESS solutions provide the
brains -- the DigitalDNA(TM) -- that make electronic systems smart, powerful
and easy to use.  Motorola IESS designs and manufactures electronic solutions
for automotive, communications, imaging, manufacturing systems, computer,
consumer and industrial markets.