Amerigon's AmeriGuard Radar Backup Warning System Successful in New Mexico Field Trials.

IRWINDALE, Calif.--(AutomotiveWire)--Sept. 24, 1998--Amerigon Inc. (Nasdaq:ARGNA) Wednesday announced that the New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department (NMSHTD) Research Bureau has completed evaluation of Amerigon's proprietary bumper-mounted AmeriGuard(TM) backup warning system.

The operator response from the 16-week Phase 2 field trial was highly favorable. NMSHTD spearheaded the effort to assess the feasibility of using rear-mounted radar systems to warn drivers of obstacles during backing maneuvers. NMSHTD had determined that significant backup related injuries and property damage occur each year. New Mexico Cabinet Secretary Pete Rahn responded to this need with the Backup Warning System research initiative. The AmeriGuard system warns operators of obstacles behind their vehicles while backing.

The three-phase project involved the design, installation and field test of a backup warning system using AmeriGuard sensors on heavy highway equipment for New Mexico's Highway and Transportation Department. During Phase 2, four dump trucks and a 15 passenger van were equipped with the AmeriGuard backup warning system.

The AmeriGuard sensors trigger loud beeps inside the driver's cabin that accelerate as the vehicle gets closer to the obstacle. A progressive light display on the side-view mirrors indicates the distance to the obstacle. Over the 16-week Phase 2 field testing period, the trucks and van were in operation a total of approximately 2,400 hours.

According to NMSHTD's Principal Investigator, Michelle A. Skrupskis, the 66 operator evaluations collected during the 16-week field testing period were "overwhelmingly" positive. "Since the AmeriGuard systems were first installed," Skrupskis said, "the equipped vehicles have had no backup accidents. This research addressed a safety need for both our operators and the travelling public in the state. NMSHTD operates a fleet of approximately 5,000 vehicles and operators would like to see the devices universally applied.

"One hundred percent of the operators in this study rated the AmeriGuard system `very useful,'" Skrupskis continued, "and more than 95 percent recommended that AmeriGuard systems be installed permanently on at least the dump trucks in New Mexico's fleet. Our operators suggested other equipment such as front loaders, graders, mowers and brooms could benefit substantially from this new technology."

Amerigon Program Manager David Bell, Ph.D. noted that the AmeriGuard system is ideal for both truck and automotive backup warning applications because of its many inherent strengths, including full functionality for a range of up to five yards; small, rugged packaging which is easy to install; the ability to operate in all environmental conditions: snow, rain, high winds, hot and cold; the ability to see through mud, tar or ice build-up; and solid-state electronics, requiring no maintenance or recalibration.

"The New Mexico research project has proven the effectiveness of our AmeriGuard system in helping drivers maneuver in backing situations," Bell said. "During Phase 3, Amerigon will finalize commercialization of the truck backup warning system.

"Currently," he added, "New Mexico and other states are considering the purchase of AmeriGuard systems for their fleets.

"We are pursuing several additional applications for the AmeriGuard radar technology," Bell said, "including automotive parking aids, lane-change aids, crash-sensing to enhance the performance of air bags, anti-collision systems and intelligent cruise control systems that automatically adjust the distance between cars."

Founded in 1991, Amerigon is a development stage company for high technology products in the commercial automotive market. The company is based in Irwindale.