ATX Continues Telematics Expansion In Europe

Austria Becomes Fifth European Country Included into ATX's Service Area

DÜSSELDORF, Germany, May 30, 2006 — ATX Group, the world's second largest telematics service provider to the automobile industry, today announced the capability to deliver in-vehicle, telematics services to vehicle owners traveling throughout Austria.

This marks the fifth Western European country in which ATX provides telematics coverage; service is also provided in Italy, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

"This is just another step toward our commitment to enable our customers to drive anywhere in Europe with the safety, security and convenience of telematics services," said Stella Kist, ATX Senior Director of European Business and Marketing.

ATX provides to automobile manufacturers a trans-Atlantic telematics platform that is not dependent on a specific wireless carrier, telematics protocol, content provider, or the customer's preferred language. The company supports multiple wireless carriers to establish seamless, wireless voice and data connectivity between telematics vehicles and the ATX European Response Center in Düsseldorf, Germany, without the driver needing to use a new SIM card upon crossing borders.

ATX's telematics services are provided through the two-way communication of voice and data, including vehicle-location data, between a subscriber's telematics-equipped automobile and the company's response and data centers. ATX can provide Italian-, German-, French-, or English-language response to drivers' requests for assistance involving vehicle breakdowns, remote vehicle diagnostics, navigation, or emergencies.

Emergency calls (e-Calls) to ATX are activated either upon deployment of airbags or when someone in the car presses a designated "SOS" button in the vehicle. Use of satellite location positioning technology allows ATX to help guide emergency responders to the exact location of the incident and provide them with an exact description of the vehicle. At the same time, telematics centers serve as a critical safeguard for vehicle owner privacy and personal vehicle information, filtering what type of information is transmitted to public authorities and the public.