Awards
Press Release
DASH NAVIGATION TO DELIVER ITS APPLICATION AND SERVICE TO LOCATION-AWARE DEVICES
11/03/08
Company Moves from Direct-to-Consumer Hardware Business to Licensing Dash Service to Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Handset Manufacturers and Others; Extends Reach of Award-Winning Dash Service
SUNNYVALE, Calif., November 3, 2008 – Dash NavigationTM,
Inc. today announced that the company is shifting its focus from delivering
connected navigation devices directly to consumers to licensing its application
and service to run on platforms such as onboard navigation systems, smartphones,
PDAs, mobile internet devices, and other consumer electronics. As part of the
strategic move, the company realigned its workforce, eliminating positions
non-essential to supporting existing subscribers or driving new licensing
partnerships.
Dash
introduced the first connected personal navigation device to the marketplace earlier
this year and demonstrated the value of next-generation connected navigation –
for consumers and other device manufacturers. Since navigation is now a key
feature for many devices, Dash can expand its consumer reach by delivering the
Dash Service through multiple platforms, eliminating the enormous capital
expense that is required to develop and market hardware on its own.
“It’s clear that consumers love the benefits of connected navigation – from up-to-the minute traffic information to live search – as it helps them save time every day,” said Rob Currie, new CEO of Dash Navigation. “Given the current economic environment, we believe that the greatest opportunities lie in integrating our service into the broad array of connected devices on the market.”
Industry analysts predict continued strong growth in location-based services, and heavy consumer interest in connected navigation services. According to ABI Research, real-time, two-way (RTTW) connected navigation is expected to show strong growth in the next five years with a prediction that more than 62% of all navigation devices will feature RTTW connectivity by 2012, with nearly 170 million units shipping worldwide*.
“The opportunity for getting connected applications onto a variety of devices has really exploded,” said Currie. “From a navigation perspective, adding a GPS chip or connectivity is only a small part of the equation. Delivering a connected service that provides daily consumer value and ensuring that the back-end infrastructure is in place to support it, is very complicated. Very few companies have this type of expertise. As a pioneer in this space and the first company to offer a connected navigation device for the car, we are well positioned to help other companies quickly deliver a solution to market while also expanding the Dash Driver Network footprint benefiting both current and future customers.”
About Dash Navigation, Inc.
Dash Navigation, Inc. connects people to the information that empowers them in their cars. A pioneer of connected navigation, Dash set out to fundamentally change the navigation experience by re-building it, from the ground up, with connectivity at the core. Having shipped the industry’s first connected GPS device for the car, and proven the strong consumer interest and passion for the Dash Service, the company is focusing on licensing its application and service to run on the growing array of location-aware devices on the market. Dash is located in Sunnyvale, Calif. and is funded by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Sequoia Capital, Skymoon Ventures, Crescendo Ventures, Artis Capital and ZenShin Capital Partners. For more information, visit Dash Navigation at www.dash.net
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Press Contact:
Gina Aumiller Bender
Dash Navigation, Inc.
(408) 543-2957