MobileAria, Inc., a company that will develop a new, hands-free mobile Internet service platform for the automobile, was launched today with investments from industry leaders Delphi Automotive Systems, Palm, Inc. and Mayfield Fund. MobileAria plans to provide an open platform to enable “in-vehicle” access and management of personal information, mobile Internet services and entertainment through a hands-free, “eyes-on-the-road,” voice-activated interface.

MobileAria intends to be the first company to develop an open service platform that integrates hand-held computers, mobile phones, personalized information, Internet content and voice recognition. MobileAria, based in Silicon Valley, expects to launch the initial in-vehicle platform and service during the second quarter of 2001. The new company will benefit from the powerful distribution channels of its strategic investors, Delphi Automotive and Palm.

“North Americans spend 26 billion hours in their automobiles each year. MobileAria will allow that time to be spent more productively, by providing hands-free, mobile Internet access to personalized content and applications in a non-distracting manner,” said Tom O’Gara, co-founder of MobileAria.