Teams with M/A-COM Technology Solutions to Location-Enable a Major North American Auto Manufacturer's Telematics System, Debuts First Automotive- Optimized SiRFstarIII GPS

SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: SIRF), a leading provider of GPS-powered location platforms, today announced it has partnered with M/A-COM Technology Solutions, Inc. to help create the breakthrough networked GPS module that provides location information to the new generation vehicle-based communications and entertainment systems, which debuted at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. SiRF also introduced the GSC3e/LPa single-chip GPS receiver, the first SiRFstarIII architecture product specifically built to meet the quality and reliability requirements of Tier-1 automotive electronics OEMs.

M/A-COM Technology Solutions' choice of the SiRFDRive2 GPS and dead reckoning technology, already adopted by LG Electronics and Continental Automotive Systems (formerly Motorola ACES), key suppliers to GM's OnStar system, reflects SiRF's continuing commitment to and success in the automotive telematics market. SiRF believes this market, which includes OEM telematics, eCall, mileage-based road tolling systems, advanced driver assistance systems, vehicle location and fleet management, among others, could see accelerating growth rates over next several years as location becomes an integral part of vehicle platforms.

'Bringing 'location awareness' to the whole automotive platform is an important aspect of our vision to enable vehicle makers to use location not only for navigation but also for safety, security and other enhanced commercial location-based applications,' said Kanwar Chadha, founder and vice president of marketing for SiRF. 'Our alliance with M/A-COM Technology Solutions to provide a robust location platform that integrates GPS and tightly coupled dead-reckoning technology represents a significant milestone in solidifying SiRF's position in the auto industry.'

M/A-COM Technology Solutions' new GPS module integrates a highly accurate SiRF GPS receiver running the SiRFDRive2 GPS dead reckoning software, a specialized GPS antenna, a microprocessor controller and memory, as well as a CAN bus transceiver and connector and associated software to create a 'location server' on the vehicle network that literally location-enables the entire vehicle. The SiRFDRive2 software processes individual wheel tick counts, vehicle speed and other critical sensor data the module obtains from the vehicle's CAN bus network, and combines it with GPS satellite signal measurements to calculate highly accurate position, heading and time information available in all environments.