Donnelly Meets NHTSA Ruling

    HOLLAND, Mich., Aug. 28 Donnelly Corporation
confirmed today that its trunk release system with SmartRelease(TM) meets the
federal motor vehicle safety standards for trunk release systems.  The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a final ruling
earlier this month outlining specific requirements for trunk releases in all
new vehicles beginning September 1, 2001.

    "We welcome this initiative from NHTSA intended to save lives," said Niall
Lynam, chief technology officer.  "Donnelly's innovative SmartRelease(TM)
system, which uses advanced electronic sensors to detect heat and motion,
allows automatic opening of the trunk if it senses a person trapped inside.
Donnelly's product provides both manual and automatic features for trunk
escape solutions meeting the new federal regulation.  The electronic sensors
used in SmartRelease(TM) require very little movement on the part of a person
trapped in a trunk to activate.  Studies show that young children who are
trapped may not understand the need to pull on a handle to open the trunk.
SmartRelease(TM) works to release the trunk automatically without requiring
the child to pull a handle."

    With the Donnelly SmartRelease(TM) system, when the presence of a trapped
child is detected, a signal is processed in whatever manner the particular
vehicle manufacturer decides is appropriate to allow the child escape.