Cobra Electronics Introduces AURA Camera and Driving Hazard Database
Providing the Most Reliable Alerts to Speed and Red-Light Cameras, Speed Traps and Dangerous Intersections
Chicago-based Cobra Electronics announces the launch of AURA(TM), its revolutionary global Camera and Driving hazard database. Devices armed with AURA, which stands for Advanced Universal Road Alert, warn drivers of thousands of driving threats that could cause unintended traffic violations as well as accidents. The result is that AURA-equipped drivers have heightened situational awareness — extra help to know what’s around them, and what’s ahead.
“There are significant financial and safety benefits to being aware of the growing number of photo enforcement cameras,” said Tony Mirabelli, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Cobra. “Being an AURA-equipped driver helps you avoid the dreaded feeling of receiving an expensive traffic ticket in the mail for a violation you might not even know you committed. It also means you will be aware of accident-prone intersections.”
The AURA database stores GPS coordinates of speed and red-light cameras and driving hazards. Users can access this database online and download daily updates onto various devices. One such device is a GPS locator (a USB flash drive) that connects to various AURA-compatible units and synchronizes the database to the device for the most current driving hazard warnings. Given the rate at which new photo enforcement cameras are being installed, providing daily updates is critical to providing motorists with the most reliable protection possible.
With dedicated professional research teams working out of its Chicago world headquarters and in its European office, Cobra has succeeded in developing a systematic verification process to minimize false alerts and establish the most dependable database on the market. In North America, Cobra verifies 100 percent of the database’s speed and red-light cameras and dangerous intersections by communicating directly with municipal police departments, traffic bureaus, state transportation agencies and proprietary data partners to guarantee that every single alert is accurate. Cobra also works to ensure the most comprehensive database of speed traps, accident hotspots, high-risk zones, and congestion change cameras in North America and Europe.
“Verification is critical,” said Mirabelli. “We understand how motorists behave, and we know that if their device is constantly giving them false alerts, eventually they will start ignoring even the legitimate alerts and unintentionally put themselves at risk. Our objective with the AURA database was not to be the first-to-market, but to be the best-in-market. After three years of hard work and significant investment, we are ready to launch what we believe is the most comprehensive and reliable global camera and driving hazard database available.”
The first AURA-ready devices offered in North America are six of Cobra’s high-end 2009 radar detectors, including the premium XRS 9960G and XRS R10G. Cobra believes AURA-ready radar devices are just the first of a range of additional applications in North America, and the company is eager to explore and solidify strategic licensing partnerships with targeted manufacturers of other mobile electronic devices. Cobra’s sister company, UK-based Performance Products Limited, has already licensed the AURA database to mobile phones, online map interfaces and navigation systems in European markets.
In North America, the GPS locator and lifetime AURA database subscription will be included as part of Cobra’s premium radar detectors-the XRS 9960G and XRS R10G for $389 and $439 respectively. The AURA database will also be available at http://www.cobra.com/ and as an add-on purchase with four additional 2009 radar detectors with price points ranging from $209 to $339. The full capability of AURA will be available to consumers March 2009. Cobra’s sister company, UK-based Performance Products Limited, has also made the AURA database available on the Sapphire product line including the new Sapphire Fusion and all satellite navigation systems. Visit the Snooper website at http://www.snooper.eu/ for more information.
To learn more about the AURA camera and driving hazard database, visit the Cobra Electronics booth (Central Hall booth #13238) at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV, Jan. 8-11, 2009, or find more information at: http://www.cobra.com/AURA.
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