Pioneer Navigation Systems Enhanced with Google Services

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today announced it is creating a more enhanced navigation experience by offering two powerful Google™ features: GOOG-411™ services, and the capability to send personalized search results from Google Maps™ to navigation devices.

“Google consistently offers services that makes searching for information fast and easy,” said Larry Rougas, vice president of marketing and product planning for the mobile business group at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “We believe that both GOOG-411 and Google Maps will add more depth into the functionality of our products, resulting in an enhanced navigation experience.”

The new line of AVIC-F series navigation systems, including the AVIC-F500BT, AVIC-F700BT, AVIC-F900BT and Premier AVIC-F90BT, will have one touch access to the free GOOG-411 service. The units will feature a dedicated “one touch” GOOG-411 icon allowing users to quickly access the GOOG-411 service through a compatible and connected Bluetooth cellular phone. A touch of the icon through the face of the units will automatically activate the cell phone to call the business search service in hands-free mode (GOOG-411 is also available on 1-800-466-4411).

“In many cases, speech is the most natural way to find information when mobile,” said Mike Cohen, manager of the speech research at Google. “In this partnership with Pioneer, we are making it possible for users to tap into the power of GOOG-411 — giving a fast means to find and connect with businesses when on the go.”

In addition, users of Google Maps can now send information from Google Maps to Pioneer’s AVIC-F series navigation systems. Personalized points of interest, business address and home address searches from Google Maps can be easily transferred into the AVIC-F devices via AVIC Feeds — a software application which will be available for download (with compatible computers) from www.pioneerelectronics.com for free later this summer. The information from Google Maps is transferred using removable media to the AVIC-F series as a “custom POI” which can then be accessed and used just like an embedded POI entry. The feature will enable consumers to create their own destinations from their own computers and implement them into the line of Pioneer navigation products.

Pioneer’s Mobile Business Group is known for offering the kind of in-car products that make driving more enjoyable by offering high quality audio and video, advanced connectivity and ease-of-use. Its focus is on the development of new digital technologies including audio, video, navigation and satellite radio, while maintaining its strong heritage in products for car audio enthusiasts and sound competitors. The company markets its products under the Pioneer and Premier brand names. When purchased from an authorized dealer, consumers receive a limited warranty for one year with Pioneer products and two years for Premier products.