Contact Information: FINANCIAL MEDIA AND INVESTOR CONTACT: Connie Hamblin 616/772-1800 GENERAL MEDIA CONTACT: Craig Piersma 616/772-1800 WEBSITE: www.gentex.com
Gentex Shipping Auto-Dimming Mirrors for Toyota Compact Vehicles
| Source: Gentex
ZEELAND, MI--(Marketwire - May 19, 2009) - Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ : GNTX ), the leading
supplier of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors to the worldwide automotive
industry, has announced that it is shipping auto-dimming interior rearview
mirrors for Toyota's new three-seat urban cruiser, the iQ and the new
generation Yaris. The iQ is sold in Europe and Japan, and the Yaris is
available in Europe and the Middle East.
The new iQ comes in just two trim levels, the iQ and iQ2. Many premium
features come standard, including a Gentex interior auto-dimming mirror on
the iQ2. The Yaris offers an interior auto-dimming mirror as standard
equipment on the upper trim levels in most markets. Yaris is one of the top
ten vehicles in the growing compact segment and is the first Toyota vehicle
in this segment to offer the auto-dimming mirror feature. Gentex mirrors
darken automatically in response to the headlamp glare of
rearward-approaching vehicles.
"Consumers are requesting more cost and fuel-efficient vehicles, but don't
want to give up safety and convenience features that enhance their driving
experience," said Enoch Jen, Senior Vice President. "The small, compact car
is a growing segment, especially in Europe and Japan where our auto-dimming
technology continues to be well received."
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 automotive rearview 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.