Iteris Powers Audiovox’s New “Distracted Driver” Safety System for the Consumer Auto Aftermarket

Iteris Inc., a leader in traffic management focused on the development and application of advanced technologies, announced that its active safety ‘machine vision’ technology will power a new consumer product that addresses a leading cause of highway fatalities – unintended vehicle lane changes due to distracted drivers.

The ADAS system was introduced at the 2011 International Consumer Electronic Show this week. It was developed in partnership with Audiovox Electronics Corporation, a provider of consumer aftermarket entertainment, security and safety, also known for products sold under the RCA, Jensen, Acoustic Research, and Advent brands.

The new system provides consumers an opportunity to benefit from life-saving features that were previously only available on new premium cars or commercial Class 8 trucks. The product incorporates Iteris’ proven AutoVue Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Forward Collision Warning (FCW) systems developed for the OEM market.

The small, integrated unit consists of a camera and an onboard computer controlled by image recognition software and proprietary algorithms. The LDW function provides an audible warning if the driver crosses over the lane markings without engaging the turn signal, while the FCW system provides a similar alert when the driver is following too close to the vehicle ahead or when closing speed is likely to cause a collision.

“Driver distraction is a hot topic today in the media and among government and concerned consumers,” said Abbas Mohaddes, president and CEO of Iteris. “It was a logical next step for us to offer our active safety products into the consumer market and help prevent these easily avoidable accidents. We anticipate our partnership with an industry leader like Audiovox will provide a platform to get our vital technology into the hands of consumers by leveraging our respective strengths in technology, product design, and consumer marketing.”

Tom Malone, president of Audiovox, commented, “We think driver safety is a major new growth opportunity for the auto aftermarket. Iteris is an ideal partner to help us address it, having supplied this technology to the OEM passenger car and heavy-duty truck markets for over a decade. Our system will bring this advanced technology to any vehicle at an affordable price-point, as well as address demand in our dealer channels for new product categories.”

The Audiovox-branded system is expected to be available in the fall of 2011 and cost approximately US$599 installed.