Clear Channel Readies Traffic-Service Upgrade

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 4/8/2010

Las Vegas - ClearChannel plans early in the third quarter to add real-time news to the real-time traffic reports that it delivers via HD Radio.

The announcement, taking place at the site of National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show, here, said that the expanded service, called Total Traffic Network Plus, will be available at that time in the 63 largest metro areas. It will deliver such information as local and national weather conditions, sports scores, and news headlines directly to installed in-vehicle navigation systems, as well as to such mobile devices as portable navigation devices (PNDs), equipped with HD Radio tuners.

The first product that will access the service will be JVC's $1,199-suggested double-DIN KW-NT3HDT in-dash navigation system with CD/DVD player and embedded iTunes-tagging HD Radio, Clear Channel said. It ships at the end of April, JVC said, and it will be the first of many devices equipped to receive the data, Clear Channel said.

On the JVC nav system and PNDs, the data will be displayed on the navigation screen with no audio playback, Clear Channel said.

Total Traffic Network delivers traffic information over analog FM radio in 125 metropolitan areas in four countries to more than 125 million consumers through OEM vehicle systems from BMW, Mazda, Aston Martin, Volvo (all of whom offer subscription-free services) as well as from aftermarket products such as in-dash nav systems and PNDs from TomTom, Garmin, Asus, Navigon, NavNGo, Mio Technology, Delphi, Kenwood, Clarion, Harman Kardon and others.