Contact Information: FINANCIAL MEDIA AND INVESTOR CONTACT: Connie Hamblin 616/772-1800 GENERAL MEDIA CONTACT: Craig Piersma 616/772-1800 EXCHANGE: NASDAQ Global Select Market SYMBOL: GNTX WEBSITE: www.gentex.com
Ford Motor Company Offers Gentex Mirror-Based Backup Camera Display on Three 2008 Vehicles
| Source: Gentex Corporation
ZEELAND, MI--(Marketwire - July 10, 2007) - Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ : GNTX ), the leading
supplier of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors to the worldwide automotive
industry, has announced that its rear camera display mirror will be
available as original equipment on the 2008 Ford Expedition, Lincoln
Navigator and Lincoln Mark LT.
The Gentex auto-dimming interior mirror contains an LCD display that works
with a video camera mounted at the rear of the vehicle to provide a view
directly behind the vehicle while backing up. This innovative convenience
feature will be available as an option on all three vehicles.
When the vehicle is shifted into "reverse," a 2.4-inch diagonal LCD display
appears automatically through the auto-dimming mirror's reflective surface.
The display disappears when the vehicle is shifted into any other gear. The
unique capability for the display to appear through the mirror's surface is
made possible by Gentex's proprietary "transflective" coatings and lighting
techniques, which result in a bright, high-resolution color image.
The rear camera display mirrors darken automatically to eliminate glare
from the headlamps of vehicles approaching from the rear for improved
nighttime driving. The interior auto-dimming mirrors are standard on the
three vehicles, while the Navigator and Expedition rear camera display
mirrors will also include Gentex's proprietary Z-Nav compass transducer, a
highly-accurate compass sensor that determines the vehicle's directional
heading. All the interior mirrors on the Mark LT will incorporate the Z-Nav
compass technology.
"Rear cameras are becoming an increasingly popular feature, and we're
excited to be working with Ford as they offer this unique display solution
on three additional 2008 vehicles," said Gentex Senior Vice President Enoch
Jen. "This underscores the value of the mirror as an intuitive location to
display rear camera video because it allows the driver to view the display
and the reflected scene simultaneously, making this feature a great tool
for backing up to boat, RV and utility trailers."
Founded in 1974, Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ : GNTX ) is an international
company that provides high-quality products to the worldwide automotive
industry and North American fire protection market. Based in Zeeland,
Michigan, the Company develops, manufactures and markets interior and
exterior automatic-dimming automotive rearview mirrors that utilize
proprietary electrochromic technology to dim in proportion to the amount of
headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps. Many of the mirrors are
sold with advanced electronic features, and more than 96 percent of the
Company's revenues are derived from the sale of auto-dimming mirrors to
nearly every major automaker in the world.