Contact Information: FINANCIAL MEDIA AND INVESTOR CONTACT: Connie Hamblin 616/772-1800 GENERAL MEDIA CONTACT: Craig Piersma 616/772-1800 WEBSITE: www.gentex.com
ZEELAND, MI--(Marketwire - August 27, 2008) - Drivers that want a backup camera system to see
video images of the area behind their vehicle while backing up will no
longer have to wait until they purchase a new vehicle. Gentex Corporation
(NASDAQ : GNTX ), the world's largest manufacturer of automatic-dimming
rearview mirrors, has announced that its Rear Camera Display (RCD) Mirror
is now available through MITO Corporation, a distributor of high-quality
aftermarket electronic products and accessories.
Gentex's unique RCD Mirror has a high-resolution liquid crystal display
(LCD) that appears automatically through the auto-dimming mirror's
reflective surface when the vehicle is shifted into "reverse." The display
disappears when the vehicle is shifted into any other gear. Other rear
camera systems on the market may show the video images in the navigation
system or another screen located in the center console or instrument panel.
The Gentex mirror-based display technology eliminates the other displays as
a requirement for a backup camera system, making the popular system less
expensive and immediately available on a wider range of vehicles.
"We believe this addition to MITO's product line creates an excellent
opportunity for consumers to gain immediate access to this highly desirable
safety and convenience feature," said Gentex Senior Vice President Enoch
Jen. "And, like all Gentex mirrors that MITO offers, the Rear Camera
Display Mirror is the same high-quality product that we sell to automakers
as original factory-installed equipment."
The RCD Mirror also has an auto-dimming function that utilizes proprietary
electrochromic technology to dim in proportion to the amount of glare from
trailing vehicle headlamps. The brighter the glare, the darker the mirror
becomes, making nighttime driving safer.
MITO Corporation offers Gentex's RCD Mirror with either a 2.4" or a 3.5"
display, and also carries a full line of rear cameras and wire harnesses to
fit virtually every vehicle.
The Gentex Rear Camera Display Mirror is currently offered as original
equipment in North America on select Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Hyundai, Kia,
Toyota and Lincoln models, and is offered as accessory or dealer-installed
equipment on certain Mazda, Suzuki, and additional Toyota models. It is
also offered as factory-installed equipment on the Kia Mohave and Hyundai
Grandeur for the Korean market.
Research shows that drivers prefer the rearview mirror for the display
location because the mirror is in the driver's natural line-of-sight and it
allows them to view the display and reflected scene simultaneously.
MITO Corporation is a 33-year-old company that sells high-quality
electronic products and accessories. MITO can be contacted by phone
(800-433-6486) or at www.mitocorp.com. For 10 years, MITO has sold Gentex
mirrors with the base auto-dimming feature as well as other popular
integrated features like garage door openers and compass and temperature
displays.
Founded in 1974, Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ : GNTX ) is an international
company that provides high-quality products to the worldwide automotive
industry and North American fire protection market. Based in Zeeland,
Michigan, the Company develops, manufactures and markets interior and
exterior automatic-dimming mirrors that utilize proprietary electrochromic
technology to dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from
trailing vehicle headlamps. Many of the mirrors are sold with advanced
electronic features, and more than 96 percent of the Company's revenues are
derived from the sale of auto-dimming mirrors to nearly every major
automaker in the world.
