HIGH SPEED BROADCAST DATA SERVICES DEMONSTRATION: BMW-led Research Validates Fast Delivery of Real Time Traffic Information via HD Radio® Technology

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – March 9, 2009… BMW announced that a recent engineering demonstration in Philadelphia, PA has validated the concept of broadcasting advanced traffic information via HD Radio stations. The exercise, conducted in November using the Transport Protocol Experts Group (TPEG) protocol, was led by Munich-based BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH (BMW Group Research and Technology) and supported by BMW of North America and its technology partner, Clear Channel Total Traffic Network. The new TPEG protocol for Traffic Flow and Prediction (TFP) supports real-time, high-speed broadcast of traffic information and will enable future vehicles to view current and predicted traffic patterns, speeds, and flows almost instantaneously.

“BMW supports the TPEG / TFP standard for delivery of traffic speed and flow information over high-bandwidth digital channels such as HD Radio,” said Isaac Trefz, an engineer with BMW Group Research and Technology. “The TPEG / TFP standard provides a mechanism for delivering predictive traffic information, and can offer more precise location information than existing systems. These virtues, combined with fewer operating limitations than existing technology, will dramatically enhance the presentation of important traffic information to drivers in the future.”

For the proof-of-concept exercise, a BMW 5 Series was equipped by specialists from BMW Research with custom hardware and software including an HD Radio data tuner and custom visualization and logging software, and then driven throughout the Philadelphia metro area. Coverage of the HD Radio broadcast and the accuracy of the TFP-encoded information were carefully monitored via the on-board equipment, and were found to be adequate in all quadrants of the coverage area. Due to the high-speed data transfer capability provided by HD Radio technology and the efficient encoding of the TPEG/TFP protocol, it was possible to transmit traffic information for the entire metro area during rush hour to the test vehicle in just 14 seconds using only 52 messages. The proof-of-concept confirmed that the TPEG / TFP protocol is the best choice for fast and efficient delivery of real-time traffic speed and flow information via HD Radio for large metropolitan areas.

BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 83 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:

www.bmwgroupna.com
www.bmwusa.com
www.bmwmotorcycles.com
www.miniusa.com
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH is a 100 % subsidiary of BMW AG and supports the following research topics at the BMW Group since 2003: VehicleTechnology, CleanEnergy (hydrogen technology), EfficientDynamics (intelligent energy management/alternative drivetrains), ConnectedDrive (driver assistance /active safety systems) and ITDrive (IT-architecture and communication technology). Being a limited company, legal autonomy from the BMW Group allows a maximum of creativity and flexibility. An internationally established network, with Technical Offices in the USA (Palo Alto, CA and Clemson, SC) and Japan (Tokyo) as well as Liaison Offices in France (with Eurécom in Sophia Antipolis) and in Germany (with German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, DFKI GmbH, in Saarbrücken) ensures global access to trends and technologies.

Information about BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH is available via the Internet at:
www.bmwgroup.com

Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address: www.press.bmwgroup.com. Broadcast quality video footage is available via The NewsMarket at www.thenewsmarket.com.

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Contact:

Thomas Plucinsky
BMW Product and Technology Communications Manager
Tel. 201-307-3783 / Thomas.Plucinsky@bmwna.com

Matthew Russell
BMW Product and Technology Communications
Tel. 201-307-3755 / Matthew.Russell@bmwna.com

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