January 2013 Newsletter
SUBARU TO DEBUT STARLINK AT 2013 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW
? STARLINK cabin technology makes world debut in Las Vegas
Cherry Hill, N.J., - Subaru of America, Inc. announced today that it will debut a new STARLINK in-car connectivity brand at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Subaru STARLINK cabin technology represents the automaker's new infotainment strategy. For the first time ever, Subaru will have a stand-alone presence at CES, demonstrating its driver-friendly Aha integration and Eyesight® driver-assist system on the all-new 2014 Forester.
STARLINK is the product of a new, cross-functional infotainment team created by Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries. The global team of engineers, planners, and marketing strategists are working together to enhance connectivity & safety technology features in Subaru vehicles, while also simplifying and reducing overall cabin complexity.
Subaru is proud to unveil STARLINK cabin technologies at the world's largest consumer electronics tradeshow, said Akio Takai, FHI Deputy General Manager, and leader of the infotainment cross-functional team (ICFT). We understand that the driving experience is about much more than mobility, and we know that today's car shopper is looking for technologies that are value-added but also safe, helping them accomplish their daily errands without adding to driver distraction.
STARLINK Infotainment
The STARLINK connectivity suite offerings begin with the trend-setting Aha service by long-time Subaru partner HARMAN International. With Aha, Subaru drivers can safely access tens of thousands of stations of Web-based content such as: NPR® podcasts and 900 NPR member radio stations available via streaming; on demand music services such as Slacker® MOG® and Rhapsody®; news, talk radio, and podcasts from around the world; CBS RADIO's Radio.com; free audio books; personalized hotel recommendations from TripAdvisor; customized weather, surf and local park information; Facebook® and Twitter® newsfeeds in audio; and personalized restaurant and café recommendations from Yelp®. The channels from Aha are constantly changing and growing, allowing customers to always be able to access their favorite content from the web.
Subaru STARLINK is about enhancing the driver's experience, said David Sullivan, Cross-Car Planning Manager for Subaru of America. Aha gives drivers an easy, inexpensive and safe way to interact with information from their smartphone device without touching it while driving - the simple to use interface is transferred to your vehicle navigation screen automatically. We research, talk, and interact with consumers regularly - and many are looking for a safe way to utilize their apps in-car. We think the Aha app integration is a great way to kickoff our STARLINK efforts, and has much of the content our customers are looking for.
STARLINK will continue to grow, adding content partners and connectivity capabilities over time. It will debut in the all-new 2014MY Subaru Forester in all navigation-equipped vehicles, and will also be introduced as a running change in 2013MY Subaru Legacy & Outback models equipped with factory navigation. 2014MY Subaru Impreza, BRZ, and XV Crosstrek models will all be adding STARLINK integration this summer as well.
EyeSight
Combining safety and convenience features, the Subaru EyeSight driver-assist system is one of the most affordable technologies of its type available in the United States market. EyeSight integrates adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, pre-collision throttle management, and vehicle lane departure and sway warning. Under certain circumstances, EyeSight is able to bring the car to a complete stop, thus avoiding a collision.
EyeSight uses two charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras developed by Subaru, and supplied by Hitachi. EyeSight is mounted inside the car on the upper edge of the windshield, thus reducing the potential for damage that could occur in bumper-mounted systems, such as radar. The EyeSight system processes stereo images to identify the vehicles traveling in front, as well as obstacles, traffic lanes and other items. The video information is relayed to the EyeSight module, which is also networked with the car's braking system and electronic throttle control, among others. Below closing speeds of approximately 19mph, EyeSight is capable of detecting pedestrians in the vehicle's path and can activate in order to mitigate or even avoid a collision.
Our STARLINK connectivity strategy builds on the Subaru heritage of fun-to-drive vehicles that are recognized for best-in-class safety and durability, said Takai. As technology evolves, so will our STARLINK offerings. We look forward to satisfying our customers more in the future with this new direction at Subaru.
Follow Subaru:
? On Facebook at www.facebook.com/subaruofamerica
? Twitter at www.twitter.com/subaru_usa #SubaruCES
? Foursquare www.foursquare.com/subaru_usa #SubaruCES
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.
Subaru, all model names, and the Subaru logo are registered trademarks of the Subaru division of Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd, Japan. Features and technical data apply to models offered in the USA. They may differ in other countries.
About Aha by HARMAN
Aha, a unit of HARMAN International Industries, is the interactive service that makes Web content as easy and safe to use as radio. Aha uses the Harman Cloud Platform to organize content from the Web into personalized radio stations that consumers can listen to from anywhere - at home, on the go, or safely from the driver's seat. By the end of 2013, more than ten automotive manufacturers will launch vehicles using Aha to enable safe access to Web content for drivers, including Acura, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Porsche and Subaru. The Aha platform and service was started in 2008 in Silicon Valley by a group of Web and multimedia veterans with a shared passion for delivering an always on audio experience to connect drivers to the content they really want. HARMAN, the company that designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, acquired Aha in September 2010. For more information, visit www.aharadio.com or find Aha on Facebook and Twitter.
CBS RADIO and Radio.com is a registered trademark of CBS Radio, Inc. Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc. The Twitter name is a trademark of Twitter, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Slacker is a registered trademark of Slacker, Inc. Yelp name is a registered trademark of Yelp!, Inc. MOG is a registered trademark of Mog, Inc. SHOUTcast is a trademark of AOL LLC. Rhapsody is a registered trademark of RI. NPR is a trademark of National Public Radio, Inc. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.
STARLINK is the product of a new, cross-functional infotainment team created by Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries. The global team of engineers, planners, and marketing strategists are working together to enhance connectivity & safety technology features in Subaru vehicles, while also simplifying and reducing overall cabin complexity.
Subaru is proud to unveil STARLINK cabin technologies at the world's largest consumer electronics tradeshow, said Akio Takai, FHI Deputy General Manager, and leader of the infotainment cross-functional team (ICFT). We understand that the driving experience is about much more than mobility, and we know that today's car shopper is looking for technologies that are value-added but also safe, helping them accomplish their daily errands without adding to driver distraction.
STARLINK Infotainment
The STARLINK connectivity suite offerings begin with the trend-setting Aha service by long-time Subaru partner HARMAN International. With Aha, Subaru drivers can safely access tens of thousands of stations of Web-based content such as: NPR® podcasts and 900 NPR member radio stations available via streaming; on demand music services such as Slacker® MOG® and Rhapsody®; news, talk radio, and podcasts from around the world; CBS RADIO's Radio.com; free audio books; personalized hotel recommendations from TripAdvisor; customized weather, surf and local park information; Facebook® and Twitter® newsfeeds in audio; and personalized restaurant and café recommendations from Yelp®. The channels from Aha are constantly changing and growing, allowing customers to always be able to access their favorite content from the web.
Subaru STARLINK is about enhancing the driver's experience, said David Sullivan, Cross-Car Planning Manager for Subaru of America. Aha gives drivers an easy, inexpensive and safe way to interact with information from their smartphone device without touching it while driving - the simple to use interface is transferred to your vehicle navigation screen automatically. We research, talk, and interact with consumers regularly - and many are looking for a safe way to utilize their apps in-car. We think the Aha app integration is a great way to kickoff our STARLINK efforts, and has much of the content our customers are looking for.
STARLINK will continue to grow, adding content partners and connectivity capabilities over time. It will debut in the all-new 2014MY Subaru Forester in all navigation-equipped vehicles, and will also be introduced as a running change in 2013MY Subaru Legacy & Outback models equipped with factory navigation. 2014MY Subaru Impreza, BRZ, and XV Crosstrek models will all be adding STARLINK integration this summer as well.
EyeSight
Combining safety and convenience features, the Subaru EyeSight driver-assist system is one of the most affordable technologies of its type available in the United States market. EyeSight integrates adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, pre-collision throttle management, and vehicle lane departure and sway warning. Under certain circumstances, EyeSight is able to bring the car to a complete stop, thus avoiding a collision.
EyeSight uses two charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras developed by Subaru, and supplied by Hitachi. EyeSight is mounted inside the car on the upper edge of the windshield, thus reducing the potential for damage that could occur in bumper-mounted systems, such as radar. The EyeSight system processes stereo images to identify the vehicles traveling in front, as well as obstacles, traffic lanes and other items. The video information is relayed to the EyeSight module, which is also networked with the car's braking system and electronic throttle control, among others. Below closing speeds of approximately 19mph, EyeSight is capable of detecting pedestrians in the vehicle's path and can activate in order to mitigate or even avoid a collision.
Our STARLINK connectivity strategy builds on the Subaru heritage of fun-to-drive vehicles that are recognized for best-in-class safety and durability, said Takai. As technology evolves, so will our STARLINK offerings. We look forward to satisfying our customers more in the future with this new direction at Subaru.
Follow Subaru:
? On Facebook at www.facebook.com/subaruofamerica
? Twitter at www.twitter.com/subaru_usa #SubaruCES
? Foursquare www.foursquare.com/subaru_usa #SubaruCES
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.
Subaru, all model names, and the Subaru logo are registered trademarks of the Subaru division of Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd, Japan. Features and technical data apply to models offered in the USA. They may differ in other countries.
About Aha by HARMAN
Aha, a unit of HARMAN International Industries, is the interactive service that makes Web content as easy and safe to use as radio. Aha uses the Harman Cloud Platform to organize content from the Web into personalized radio stations that consumers can listen to from anywhere - at home, on the go, or safely from the driver's seat. By the end of 2013, more than ten automotive manufacturers will launch vehicles using Aha to enable safe access to Web content for drivers, including Acura, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Porsche and Subaru. The Aha platform and service was started in 2008 in Silicon Valley by a group of Web and multimedia veterans with a shared passion for delivering an always on audio experience to connect drivers to the content they really want. HARMAN, the company that designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, acquired Aha in September 2010. For more information, visit www.aharadio.com or find Aha on Facebook and Twitter.
CBS RADIO and Radio.com is a registered trademark of CBS Radio, Inc. Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc. The Twitter name is a trademark of Twitter, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Slacker is a registered trademark of Slacker, Inc. Yelp name is a registered trademark of Yelp!, Inc. MOG is a registered trademark of Mog, Inc. SHOUTcast is a trademark of AOL LLC. Rhapsody is a registered trademark of RI. NPR is a trademark of National Public Radio, Inc. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.
SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. REPORTS RECORD MONTH AND SETS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEARLY SALES RECORD
? December sales represent best sales month in company history
? Record-high annual sales of 336,441 mark fourth consecutive year of sales increases
? 2012 sales increase 26 percent over 2011
Cherry Hill, N.J., - Subaru of America, Inc. today reported record sales for December 2012 and also for full year 2012. The company sold 36,653 vehicles in December 2012 - the best sales month in Subaru history. Subaru also announced record-breaking annual sales of 336,441, which represents a 26 percent increase over 2011. This is the fourth consecutive year of sales records for Subaru of America and fifth consecutive year of sales increases. Subaru is the only manufacturer to increase sales each year for the last five years.
Annual sales for Impreza have increased nearly 150 percent over 2011. Year-to-date sales for the newly-refreshed Outback and Legacy models have increased 13 percent and 11 percent respectively. The newly introduced BRZ and XV Crosstrek models also added 3,906 incremental sales for the month of December and 11,540 units for the year.
We met our goals for the year and we crossed a new milestone by exceeding 300,000 annual sales, said Thomas J. Doll, executive vice president and COO, Subaru of America, Inc. It was a great year for Subaru of America. The popular XV Crosstrek, all-new 2014 Forester and an upcoming hybrid will fuel our growth in this new year.
Subaru achieved record sales with the right product line-up, strong marketing to loyal and new customers and a superior dealer network, said Bill Cyphers, senior vice president of sales, Subaru of America, Inc. That formula is what will continue our momentum throughout 2013.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com
Annual sales for Impreza have increased nearly 150 percent over 2011. Year-to-date sales for the newly-refreshed Outback and Legacy models have increased 13 percent and 11 percent respectively. The newly introduced BRZ and XV Crosstrek models also added 3,906 incremental sales for the month of December and 11,540 units for the year.
We met our goals for the year and we crossed a new milestone by exceeding 300,000 annual sales, said Thomas J. Doll, executive vice president and COO, Subaru of America, Inc. It was a great year for Subaru of America. The popular XV Crosstrek, all-new 2014 Forester and an upcoming hybrid will fuel our growth in this new year.
Carline | Dec-12 | Dec-11 | % Chg | Dec-12 | Dec-11 | % Chg |
MTD | MTD | MTD | YTD | YTD | YTD | |
Forester | 8764 | 8601 | 1.9% | 76347 | 76196 | 0.2% |
Impreza | 5863 | 5464 | 7.3% | 68175 | 27391 | 148.9% |
Impreza WRX | 1642 | 1257 | 30.6% | 13624 | 13805 | -1.3% |
Legacy | 4217 | 4625 | -8.8% | 47127 | 42401 | 11.2% |
Outback | 12072 | 13430 | -10.1% | 117553 | 104405 | 12.6% |
Tribeca | 189 | 324 | -41.7% | 2075 | 2791 | -25.7% |
BRZ | 497 | 0 | 0% | 4144 | 0 | 0% |
XV Crosstrek | 3409 | 0 | 0% | 7396 | 0 | 0% |
TOTAL | 36653 | 33701 | 8.8% | 336441 | 266989 | 26% |
Subaru achieved record sales with the right product line-up, strong marketing to loyal and new customers and a superior dealer network, said Bill Cyphers, senior vice president of sales, Subaru of America, Inc. That formula is what will continue our momentum throughout 2013.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com
The Weather Channel and weather.com Launch New Driving Difficulty Index Map with Subaru
New Interactive Map Layer Helps Drivers Choose the Safest Route through Weather
Cherry Hill, N.J., - The Weather Company, formerly The Weather Channel Companies, has teamed up with Subaru of America, Inc. to launch the new Driving Difficulty Index, a new map layer that displays on weather.com's interactive maps, available at www.weather.com/ddi. The Driving Difficulty Index is a new marketplace innovation that relies on TWC's superior weather data and technology to provide millions of consumers with an actionable tool that will keep them safe on the roads.
The Driving Difficulty Index is a new map layer within the enhanced interactive maps on weather.com. This map layer shows potentially dangerous weather conditions and help users plan their best driving route. The Driving Difficulty Index rates road conditions on six core weather parameters: ice, snow, wet, ponding, high winds and low visibility. Then the map layer, when selected by the user, shows where difficult driving conditions are present.
The Driving Difficulty Index is a partnership unique to the two brands, leveraging Subaru's and TWC's shared focus and expertise on driving safety during specific weather conditions, said Paul Walsh, vice president of weather analytics, WeatherFX, at The Weather Company. Using our extensive weather dataset and big data analytics capabilities, we've created - with Subaru - a unique planning tool that helps our users better plan their day, their travel, and even their driving route.
In partnership with Subaru, the company will have presence in the Difficulty Driving Index map layer on all weather.com interactive maps using TWC's proprietary ADaptor ads, which allow for national reach with local contextual relevance. ADaptor technology uses dynamic weather integration to deliver customized ads to users based on their local weather conditions, location and time of day. In addition, Subaru will also offer Car Clinic video segments and tips to help with driving in relevant weather conditions within weather.com's WeatherREADY safety and preparedness section.
Be sure to prepare and check conditions before hitting the road with the Driving Difficulty Index from The Weather Channel and Subaru, available today at www.weather.com/ddi.
The Weather Company: The World's Best Weather
Through The Weather Channel, weather.com, Weather Underground, Intellicast.com and third-party publishing partners, the company provides millions of people every day with the world's best weather forecasts, content and data, connecting with them through television, online, mobile and tablet screens. Through WSI and Weather Central, the company delivers superior professional weather services for the media, aviation, marine and energy sectors. The Weather Company is owned by a consortium made up of NBC Universal and the private equity firms The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital. For more information, visit www.weather.com/press.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.
The Driving Difficulty Index is a new map layer within the enhanced interactive maps on weather.com. This map layer shows potentially dangerous weather conditions and help users plan their best driving route. The Driving Difficulty Index rates road conditions on six core weather parameters: ice, snow, wet, ponding, high winds and low visibility. Then the map layer, when selected by the user, shows where difficult driving conditions are present.
The Driving Difficulty Index is a partnership unique to the two brands, leveraging Subaru's and TWC's shared focus and expertise on driving safety during specific weather conditions, said Paul Walsh, vice president of weather analytics, WeatherFX, at The Weather Company. Using our extensive weather dataset and big data analytics capabilities, we've created - with Subaru - a unique planning tool that helps our users better plan their day, their travel, and even their driving route.
In partnership with Subaru, the company will have presence in the Difficulty Driving Index map layer on all weather.com interactive maps using TWC's proprietary ADaptor ads, which allow for national reach with local contextual relevance. ADaptor technology uses dynamic weather integration to deliver customized ads to users based on their local weather conditions, location and time of day. In addition, Subaru will also offer Car Clinic video segments and tips to help with driving in relevant weather conditions within weather.com's WeatherREADY safety and preparedness section.
Be sure to prepare and check conditions before hitting the road with the Driving Difficulty Index from The Weather Channel and Subaru, available today at www.weather.com/ddi.
# # #
The Weather Company: The World's Best Weather
Through The Weather Channel, weather.com, Weather Underground, Intellicast.com and third-party publishing partners, the company provides millions of people every day with the world's best weather forecasts, content and data, connecting with them through television, online, mobile and tablet screens. Through WSI and Weather Central, the company delivers superior professional weather services for the media, aviation, marine and energy sectors. The Weather Company is owned by a consortium made up of NBC Universal and the private equity firms The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital. For more information, visit www.weather.com/press.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.
