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News ReleaseSportvision's RACEf/xT System Incorporates NovAtel OnBoard
(Calgary, Alberta, Canada, July 24, 2006)— NovAtel Inc. (NASDAQ: NGPS), a precise positioning technology company, today announced that Sportvision Inc.’s RACEf/x motor sports broadcasting system – utilized during all Indy Racing League (IRL) events – incorporates NovAtel GPS technology. The most advanced sports tracking system ever created, RACEf/x delivers an array of graphic effects and relevant data, enabling fans to follow the race more easily on television, the Internet, and through wireless devices. RACEf/x uses patented technology combined with NovAtel’s SPAN™ (Synchronized Position Attitude Navigation) Technology to track cars traveling in excess of 220MPH, five times per second, creating a complete digital record of the race, while delivering a broad array of visual effects for television, as well as data for other applications. Fans can easily identify their favorite drivers on television, while having the opportunity to customize their experience when following a race on the Internet or wireless device. The onboard Sportvision “Vector” system captures positioning, speed and acceleration/deceleration data utilizing SPAN Technology. Combining this data with RPM, brake and throttle sensor data, compelling metrics such as time behind the leader, exact car position within four centimeters, RPM, brake indicator and throttle percentage are used to create a digital record of the race in real time. Only cars with Vector installed can participate in an official IRL race. According to Graham Purves, Vice President, Sales for NovAtel, “NovAtel’s collaborative efforts with Sportvision began almost six years ago with motor sports broadcasting systems for NASCAR. Their latest endeavor for the IRL circuit, RACEf/x, demonstrates the continued cooperation between our companies, resulting in commercially viable and successful technology.” According to Ken Milnes, Senior Vice President Engineering for Sportvision, “Race cars traveling in excess of 220MPH, in close proximity to metallic fences and large structures, could present complications for GPS systems. Many race tracks have bridges, buildings and heavy foliage that prevent continuous satellite visibility. NovAtel’s SPAN Technology has provided an excellent solution to combat the challenges of maintaining continuous satellite visibility, while their responsive customer support team has led to the successful application of the technology.” NovAtel’s SPAN Technology tightly couples GPS and inertial functionality to provide accurate position and attitude measurements. During short periods when GPS signals are unavailable or less than four satellites are in sight, SPAN Technology offers uninterrupted position and attitude output. This ensures the positioning system works continuously, regardless of the environment. In addition, SPAN Technology improves overall positioning capability with faster GPS satellite reacquisition and faster Real Time Kinematic initialization. About SportvisionSportvision, Inc. is the USA’s premier innovator of sports and entertainment products for fans, media and marketers. A privately held corporation, Sportvision solutions have enhanced experiences for fans and marketing partners of the NFL, MLB, IRL, NBA, NASCAR, NHL, PGA TOUR, LPGA TOUR, NCAA, WTA, MLS and other sporting events on-air and online. The Company has captured eight Emmy Awards for its products, including three for their signature broadcast enhancements, the virtual 1st and Ten ä line and K Zone, and three for its pioneering advanced media work with NASCAR. Sportvision can be found on the web at www.sportvision.com. About NovAtelNovAtel designs, markets and sells high-precision GPS and other positioning components and sub-systems used in a wide variety of commercial applications principally in the aviation, geomatics (surveying and mapping), mining, precision agriculture, marine and defence industries. NovAtel is also the principal supplier of reference receivers to national aviation ground networks in the US, Japan, Europe, China and India. NovAtel’s solutions combine hardware, such as receivers and antennas, with software to enable its customers to fully integrate the Company’s high-precision GPS technology into their respective products and systems. NovAtel, an ISO 9001 certified company, is focused on supplying core high-precision positioning technology to OEMs and system integrators who build systems for various end market applications. For more information, visit www.novatel.com. Certain statements in this news release, including those about the Company’s future plans and intentions and its prospects with Sportvision, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on management’s current expectations regarding NovAtel’s future growth, results of operations, performance, future capital and other expenditures, competitive advantages, business prospects and opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as ‘‘anticipate’’, ‘‘believe’’, ‘‘expect’’, ‘‘may’’, ‘‘could’’, ‘‘will’’, ‘‘potential’’, ‘‘intend’’, ‘‘estimate’’, ‘‘should’’, ‘‘plan’’, ‘‘predict’’, “forecast” or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including operating results of the Company’s joint venture Point, Inc. (“Point”), impact and timing of large orders, U.S. dollar to Canadian dollar exchange rate fluctuations, establishing and maintaining effective distribution channels, certification and market acceptance of NovAtel’s new products, credit risks of customers and the Company’s joint venture Point, pricing pressures in the market and other competitive factors, maintaining technological leadership, timing of revenue recognition in connection with certain contracts, the ability to maintain supply of products from subcontract manufacturers, the procurement of components to build products, product defects, the impact of industry consolidations, vulnerability to general economic, market and business conditions, competition, environmental and other actions by governmental authorities, reliance on key personnel and other factors described in the Company’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2005 and other SEC filings, many of which are beyond the control of NovAtel. These factors should be considered carefully and undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and NovAtel assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. |
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