Hertz Begins Roll-Out of Computerized Driving Directions
14 September 1998
Hertz Begins Nationwide Roll-Out of Enhanced Computerized Driving Directions at 16 Major Airport Locations - New Technology Provides Point-to-Point Directions -
PARK RIDGE, N.J., Sept. 14 -- The Hertz Corporation
, the world's largest car rental company, announces the roll-out of
its Enhanced Computerized Driving Directions to 16 major airports nationwide.
With the incorporation of new technology, this new generation of Hertz
Computerized Driving Directions allows customers to obtain point-to-point
directions to virtually any street address within a geographical area.
Currently available at Atlanta, San Francisco, Orlando, Newark, Los Angeles,
Miami, Chicago O'Hare and Midway, Washington National and Dulles,
Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, Baltimore, and Houston International and Hobby
airports, the system will be rolled out to more than 50 Hertz US airport and
downtown locations by year end.
In 1984, Hertz was the first car rental company to develop and introduce
Computerized Driving Directions. Customers manually scrolled through an index
of predetermined destinations and keyed the number corresponding to the
desired route into the Computerized Driving Directions unit. Customers would
then receive a print-out of the directions.
In 1988, Hertz expanded its Computerized Driving Directions, incorporating
the predetermined destinations and route numbers into a kiosk system.
Customers typed the desired route number on a numeric keypad, directions would
then print-out.
In 1993, touch-screen technology was incorporated into the units. The
easy-to-use, self-service application provided directions from the Hertz
location to a given destination.
Today, Hertz' Enhanced Computerized Driving Directions offer customers
point-to-point directions from any origin to any destination within a
prescribed area. Using touch-screen technology and an application that runs
on Microsoft(R) Windows(R), the system includes video-mapping and an
administrative tool that allows Hertz management to edit directions and points
of interest as needed.
Available at Hertz counter areas, the Enhanced Computerized Driving
Directions have an expanded database, allowing customers to obtain
easy-to-read directions between any two points or addresses. Complementing
the printed directions, the new technology includes a video map display that
highlights and flashes the selected route plotting the origin and destination
points.
Prior to roll-out of this new generation, customers were only able to
obtain directions from a Hertz location to a number of preset points of
interest.
"Today, with emerging technology, Hertz remains the leader in providing
renters with Computerized Driving Directions," commented Brian J. Kennedy,
Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales for The Hertz Corporation.
"With our enhanced system, customers are now able to map their entire trip."
The enhanced system also maintains many popular features of the former
system -- user friendly, touch-screen technology; turn-by-turn, street level
directions with time and distance; and a print-out of the directions,
available in multiple languages.
The new database allows customers to enter their own origin, whether a
street address, intersection, or one of thousands of points of interest.
Points of interest are broken down by category, including businesses, hotels,
attractions, restaurants, cities, hospitals, intersections, and transportation
facilities. Subcategories include automated teller machines (ATMs), banks,
convention centers, grocery stores, entertainment venues, golf courses,
museums, recreation areas, shops, sporting venues, train stations, and
airports.
The terminal's touch-screen, virtual keyboard allows customers to type in
addresses without using a mouse or traditional keyboard while a scroll feature
provides ease in selecting various points of interest.
"In developing this enhanced version, we decided to create a customized
application that combines state-of-the-art technology with a human interface,
enabling each location to update and edit its database as needed," continued
Kennedy. "With this unique combination, we are able to add new points of
interest and make instantaneous changes to the database, providing up-to-date
directions to and from thousands of points, ranging from office complexes to
tourist attractions. This service is unsurpassed by any other car rental
company."
Computerized Driving Directions are available in six languages: English,
French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish; and are free of charge to all
Hertz customers.
A longtime leader in offering advanced directional technology, Hertz'
Enhanced Computerized Driving Directions complement the more than 8000
NeverLost(R) on-board navigational systems already used by Hertz' customers in
more than 35 cities.
Hertz operates a fleet of more than 500,000 vehicles from approximately
5,500 locations in over 140 countries worldwide.
