Ford Motor Company and TeleNav to Launch Connected In-Vehicle GPS Navigation System

TeleNav, Inc., one of the largest global wireless navigation services providers, announced today that Ford Motor Company will use TeleNav’s automotive-grade GPS navigation software in its next generation of Ford SYNC(TM), launching with the company’s latest innovation, MyFord Touch driver connect technology. The in-vehicle system has the ability to integrate with Ford’s award-winning SYNC platform — also powered by TeleNav software — and leverage the infotainment and telematics system in the vehicle.

First introduced at CES 2007, Ford SYNC is an easy-to-use, hands-free system that connects mobile phones and media devices to the vehicle. Recent SYNC updates include vehicle diagnostics, emergency services assist, voice-activated access to turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic, and on-demand news, weather and sports updates.

Ford’s introduction of the new MyFord Touch driver connect technology provides a simpler and smarter SYNC interface allowing customers to interact with the system through a new touch screen-based interface or enhanced voice commands. MyFord Touch includes an 8-inch touch screen that facilitates a more elegant solution to activate TeleNav’s map-based GPS navigation. Using SYNC’s new SD card slot, drivers are able to easily and affordably upgrade to TeleNav’s full map-based in-vehicle navigation system which leverages the touch screen that is already embedded in the car. The SD card navigation system provides uninterrupted access to navigation information, even if cell phone coverage is limited.

Differing from traditional embedded GPS navigation systems currently available in cars, the next-generation of SYNC combines the best of the system’s off-board connected navigation services — such as updated POIs and live traffic — with the stability of an embedded navigation system.

“With SYNC at the forefront of in-vehicle technology, Ford has redefined the automotive industry once again,” said HP Jin, president, CEO and co-founder of TeleNav. “Whether customers are looking for a nearby Italian restaurant or directions to a friend’s house, MyFord Touch and SYNC provide an in-vehicle system that has the benefits of a traditional navigation system but with the added feature of access to the latest and most updated information via a wireless connection.”

Ford is using TeleNav’s in-vehicle routing and navigation platform to calculate precise turn-by-turn driving directions that takes into account real-time traffic information as well as provides access to more than 12 million up-to-date business listings.

As part of the global rollout of Ford SYNC, the new embedded navigation system will be available in select Ford vehicles beginning in 2010. For more information on Ford SYNC, please visit www.syncmyride.com.

TeleNav, Inc. is a leading provider of location based services, or LBS, including voice guided navigation, on mobile phones. TeleNav’s LBS solutions provide consumers and enterprises with convenient and easy to use location specific, real time and personalized features and functions. TeleNav’s flexible and proprietary LBS platform enables it to efficiently provide its LBS to millions of end users, across more than 500 types of mobile phones, all major mobile phone operating systems and a broad range of wireless network protocols. TeleNav’s service providers include Alltel, AT&T, Bell Mobility, Boost Mobile, China Mobile, Cincinnati Bell, NII Holdings, Rogers, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile UK, T-Mobile USA, Telcel, Telecom Italia Mobile, Verizon Wireless and Vivo Brazil. TeleNav’s other partners include Ford Motor Company, Hewlett-Packard, HTC, INRIX, LG, Motorola, NAVTEQ, Nokia, Palm, Qualcomm, Research In Motion, Samsung, Sanyo and Tele Atlas. TeleNav is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

For more information on TeleNav automotive programs, please visit www.telenav.com/auto. Follow TeleNav on Twitter at www.twitter.com/telenav or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/telenav