The best things in life are free and for good reason, the 2014 Lexus IS will be the first vehicle in the industry to offer subscription-free weather and traffic information on board! Say goodbye to expensive monthly subscriptions for real-time traffic and weather info in your Lexus and that dangerous art of fumbling through the Google Maps app on your smartphone while traffic screeches to a halt in front of you.
iBiquity Digital Corporation, the company responsible for bringing HD Radio™ to market will be offering this industry first feature on the 2014 Lexus IS. According to Lexus, they will be launching two HD Audio setups which integrate both weather & traffic free of charge.
The new IS’ audio system offerings will be able to receive this data in this manner:
IS w/NAV: Will receive weather and traffic map info via HD Radio signal & cell data through your paired smartphone.
IS Non-NAV: Will receive weather and traffic map info via HD Radio signal only.
The details aren’t clear if IS w/NAV models can receive weather & traffic data without the use of a smartphone. We imagine that the IS w/NAV will have faster, more detailed information as there are two sources to pull the info from. More info should surface once the official reveal of the 3rd Generation IS happens in Detroit next week.
All-new Lexus IS First in Industry to Offer Subscription-free Traffic and Weather Information on Integrated Audio Systems
Partnership with HD Radio™ developer iBiquity delivers industry leading technology at a great value
Traffic and weather data to be available on standard Display Audio and optional Navigation systems
All-new IS to debut at the North American International Auto Show on Jan. 15
TORRANCE, Calif. (Jan. 8, 2013) – Lexus today announced that it has partnered with iBiquity Digital Corporation, the developer of HD Radio™ Technology, to be the first automotive brand to offer subscription-free, real-time traffic and weather information on its integrated audio systems. The all-new Lexus IS sport sedan, which will debut at the North American International Auto Show on Jan. 15, will be the first Lexus vehicle to feature this technology when it arrives in dealerships this summer.
“At Lexus, we strive for partnerships that bring the most advanced connected vehicle technologies to our customers at a great value,” said Sandy Lobenstein, vice president, Connected Vehicle Technology and Planning. “As a result of our partnership with iBiquity, our owners will be the first in the industry to have access to subscription-free real-time traffic and weather data on multimedia systems across our vehicle lineup.”
Lexus will launch two systems integrating HD Radio, digital audio entertainment and real-time traffic and weather information.
For vehicles with available Navigation, Lexus will provide a digital audio and navigation system driven by the first of its kind hybrid
technology capable of receiving digital traffic and weather information from both HD Radio stations and the cell phone network, using the driver’s smartphone connected with the Lexus Enform system.
For vehicles without navigation, Lexus will offer a standard premium Display Audio system complete with subscription-free traffic maps and weather information, all delivered by HD Radio stations across the country.
iBiquity will display this new technology in their booth at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nev., through Jan. 11.
The debut of the all-new Lexus IS will be webcast live at www.lexus.com and on the Lexus Facebook page at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Jan. 15.
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