ALPINE BLACKBIRD PORTABLE NAVIGATION DEVICE NOW DELIVERS TRAFFIC INFOR

TORRANCE, Calif., September 13, 2006 – U.S. drivers spend an average of 47 hours per year stuck in traffic; in very large urban areas, more than 60 hours per year. But getting caught in unexpected traffic snarls doesn’t have to be an immutable consequence of commuter life. Alpine Electronics of America, Inc., the industry-leading manufacturer of high-performance in-vehicle navigation, announces NAVTEQ Traffic RDS™ service is now available for the Alpine Blackbird (PMD-B100) portable navigation device.

Blackbird has a built-in Radio Data System (RDS) traffic tuner and is now capable of receiving continuously updated NAVTEQ Traffic RDS flow and incident information in 42 U.S. markets. Visual notification of congestion conditions and incident alerts allow drivers to see potential delays so they can choose to avoid traffic problems. The Blackbird also offers a detour option, which gives drivers a choice of avoiding a congested area and taking another route.

Every Blackbird comes with a free 90-day, no-obligation trial subscription to the NAVTEQ Traffic RDS service. Once the trial period ends, consumers can choose to purchase a year of service for $60.

“With our mission to provide an informed, stress-free driving experience, NAVTEQ Traffic RDS service is a natural complement to the Blackbird’s comprehensive, highly flexible navigation features,” said Steve Witt, vice president, Marketing, Alpine Electronics. “Whether in familiar or unfamiliar territory, the Blackbird with the traffic service is an essential tool for drivers.”

With 20 years of navigation design and engineering experience, and five J.D. Power awards for fixed in-vehicle navigation, Alpine brings unparalleled expertise to Blackbird, its first portable navigation device. Launched in spring 2006, Blackbird offers features such as pre-loaded maps of the U.S. and Canada, full turn-by-turn voice-delivered driving instructions, six million unique points of interest, an SD card slot for MP3 music playback, and a 3.6-inch LCD touch-screen monitor. When Blackbird is installed in the supplied cradle and music is being played from the SD card, Blackbird’s built-in FM modulator allows for the music and the voice-guided driving directions to be played through the car’s stereo system.

Blackbird is the most flexible portable navigation solution available. It can be used as a portable in-vehicle navigation device and taken car-to-car; alternatively, it can be connected to an Alpine A/V head unit using the optional Blackbird docking station (PMD-DOK1). Once docked, all navigation display screens and control functions are transferred to the A/V head unit to create a fully integrated audio/video/navigation (AVN) system.

NAVTEQ Traffic RDS transmits automatically updated traffic data to the Blackbird unit via a continuous RDS broadcast that is received through the unit’s built-in RDS tuner. NAVTEQ Traffic RDS contains the best available data from departments of transportation, police and emergency services, traffic sensors, cameras and airborne reports to provide critical traffic information, including:

   * Traffic flow information for highways, freeways and major expressways that have been equipped with traffic sensors. The Blackbird designates the use of red squares to show average speeds between 0 and 10 miles per hour and yellow diamonds for speeds between 11 and 45 miles per hour.
   * Scheduled and unscheduled incidents along a route. Scheduled incidents include road construction, closures and sports events. Unscheduled incidents include accidents, disabled vehicles and weather-related issues. Additional information on each incident, such as lanes affected and time of occurrence is available by selecting Blackbird’s incident icon.



“Alpine and NAVTEQ have a longstanding working relationship that has helped drive RDS traffic service delivery,” said John MacLeod, executive vice president, Connected Services, NAVTEQ. “Together, we are committed to meeting driver expectations for accurate, real-time traffic information.”

Software
Consumers with Blackbirds that were shipped before September will need to update the unit’s software with a free DVD provided by Alpine, to allow for full compatibility with the NAVTEQ Traffic RDS service. The DVD may be ordered at www.alpine-usa.com and will be shipped directly to the consumer at no cost.

Pricing and Availability
Blackbird is available at authorized Alpine retailers at a suggested retail index of $750. The Blackbird dock will be available in October 2006 with a suggested retail index of $200. Consumers can visit www.alpine-usa.com for more information.

NAVTEQ Traffic RDS service, available now in select U.S. markets, is free for 90 days with every Blackbird purchase in the U.S. After the trial subscription ends, consumers can choose to purchase a one-year subscription for $60 per year directly from NAVTEQ at www.BlackbirdTraffic.com

About Alpine Electronics
Alpine Electronics is an automotive electronics system supplier and an ISO certified global corporation. Alpine specializes in engineering and manufacturing products for mobile media systems that include audio, video, satellite-linked navigation and connectivity solutions. With research and development facilities in Asia, Europe and the U.S., Alpine is the automotive specialist for premium sound systems and vehicle navigation for both aftermarket and OEM factory installations. Alpine Electronics is a consolidated subsidiary of Alps Electric *** Ltd., one of the world’s premier manufacturers of electronic components for computer, communications and car electronics equipment. Visit www.alpine-usa.com for more about Alpine products or to find an authorized retailer.

About NAVTEQ
NAVTEQ is a leading provider of comprehensive digital map information for automotive navigation systems, mobile navigation devices, Internet-based mapping applications, and government and business solutions. NAVTEQ creates the digital maps and map content that power navigation and location-based services solutions around the world. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 2,000 employees located in 139 offices in 25 countries.

NAVTEQ and NAVTEQ Traffic RDS are trademarks in the U.S. and other countries. © 2006 NAVTEQ. All rights reserved.

This document may include certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts and statements identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "seeks", "estimates" or words of similar meaning. These statements are based on our current beliefs or expectations and are inherently subject to various risks and uncertainties, including those set forth under "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory factors. NAVTEQ does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document.