Gentex Mirror-Based Backup Camera Display Offered on Ford Van

ZEELAND, MI--(Marketwire - December 18, 2008) - Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX) has announced that it is shipping its Rear Camera Display (RCD) Mirror for the 2009 Ford E-series Passenger Van. The full-size van has been a standard offering from Ford since 1961. The redesigned 2009 E-series went on sale in North America this past summer. Gentex is the leading supplier of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors to the worldwide automotive industry.

The Gentex auto-dimming interior mirror with RCD is available as a stand-alone option on the Cargo, XL, and XLT trim levels. The RCD Mirror contains a liquid crystal display (LCD) that works with a video camera mounted at the rear of the vehicle to provide a view directly behind the vehicle while backing up. When the vehicle is shifted into "reverse," a 2.4" 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 capability for the display to appear through the mirror's surface is made possible by Gentex's "transflective" coating and lighting techniques, which result in a bright, high-resolution color image.

"The E-series program is the fifth vehicle at Ford to offer our RCD mirror as original equipment and the first full-size van using the Gentex mirror-based backup camera display technology," said Enoch Jen, Gentex Senior Vice President. "The Ford E-Series has been a top selling full-size van for 29 years and Gentex is pleased that its RCD Mirror technology has been added to the updated model."

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 97 percent of the Company's revenues are derived from the sale of auto-dimming mirrors to nearly every major automaker in the world.

Contact Information: FINANCIAL MEDIA AND INVESTOR CONTACT: Connie Hamblin 616/772-1800 GENERAL MEDIA CONTACT: Craig Piersma 616/772-1800 WEBSITE: www.gentex.com