Gentex Announces New SmartBeam(R) Program With Land Rover

ZEELAND, MI--(Marketwire - Oct 25, 2011) - Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX), the Zeeland, Michigan-based manufacturer of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors and camera-based driver-assist systems for the automotive industry, commercial fire protection products and dimmable aircraft windows, has announced that it is supplying auto-dimming mirrors with advanced features including Automatic High-Beam Assist (SmartBeam®) for the 2011/2012 Range Rover Evoque -- a compact sport utility vehicle (SUV).

Range Rover Evoque models sold in Europe and the United States offer SmartBeam as part of multiple packages and upgrades in all three available models. SmartBeam uses a miniature camera-on-a-chip combined with algorithmic decision making to automatically turn a vehicle's high beams on and off according to surrounding traffic conditions. The system is designed to maximize a vehicle's forward lighting and to eliminate the repetitive and sometimes burdensome task of turning the high beams on and off.

A Gentex interior auto-dimming mirror with or without HomeLink® (Johnson Control's fully integrated wireless control system) is available in the European and North American markets. The HomeLink feature consists of three buttons conveniently located on the face of the interior auto-dimming mirror that may be programmed to operate garage door openers, estate gates, security systems, home lighting, and other radio frequency-controlled devices.

"This is an exciting vehicle for Land Rover -- it offers cutting-edge technology, including our SmartBeam feature, and we look forward to sharing in its success," said Gentex Senior Vice President Enoch Jen. "SmartBeam is now offered on four Land Rover models and we look forward to a long partnership with the automaker."

Gentex has been shipping its SmartBeam feature to various automakers since 2004, and more than a 2.5 million of the Company's camera systems are in operation on vehicles throughout Europe and North America.

Founded in 1974, Gentex Corporation is the leading supplier of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors and camera-based driver-assist systems to the global automotive industry. The Company also provides commercial smoke alarms and signaling devices to the North American fire protection market, as well as dimmable aircraft windows for the commercial, business and general aviation markets. Based in Zeeland, Michigan, the international 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. More than half of the Company's interior mirrors are sold with advanced electronic features, and more than 98 percent of the Company's net sales are derived from the sale of auto-dimming mirrors to every major automaker in the world.