SANTA CLARA, Calif. and ATLANTA, Aug. 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Telenav®, Inc. (NASDAQ: TNAV), a leading provider of connected car and location-based services, and Sionic Mobile, a leading provider of cloud-based connected-commerce and loyalty currency gateway services, have entered into a strategic alliance agreement to bring localized in-car digital commerce and offers to drivers. Telenav’s location-based services and mobile-advertising capabilities coupled with Sionic Mobile’s in-vehicle payment and order-ahead technologies, allow automotive OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to bring a relevant, personalized commerce experience into the car to help drivers save time, money and effort on the road. Using the OEM’s vehicle infotainment system, drivers will be able to easily order and pay before picking up their item(s) at the coffee shop, restaurant, gas station, or other retail locations.
Telenav’s connected-car and location-based services will incorporate Sionic Mobile’s ION Commerce Engine® (ICE) and Express Rewards Marketplace™ to deliver commerce, offers and rewards to consumers inside the vehicle in a safe, user-friendly, contextually relevant manner. For example, by leveraging Telenav’s predictive technologies, drivers will be notified of offers and commerce opportunities along their way, with which they can safely interact. Drivers may then pay for the order with their favorite digital wallet. It is even possible for drivers to pay for transactions using their loyalty rewards points at any of Sionic Mobile’s tens of thousands of merchant locations nationwide. This feature is an attractive value proposition for consumers, as an estimated $100-billion worth of such points are going unused, according to a 2017 Bond Loyalty Report.
Additionally, Telenav’s in-car hybrid-navigation solution will seamlessly integrate commerce capabilities within search, routing, mapping, and ETA sharing. This not only lets drivers more easily make purchases from the car, but also allows automotive OEMs to optimize their monetization via in-car commerce, while still offering their brand-unique user experiences to enhance customer loyalty. The companies’ combined technologies will help merchants serve their customers in a much more efficient and friendly manner, as they will know exactly when the customer will arrive to pick up their order and have it ready, eliminating the wait time needed to take orders and make payment. Drivers may also have the added advantage of earning and redeeming OEMs' loyalty rewards, funded by merchants, during their in-vehicle payment experience.
“Our location-based connected-car advertising platform connects people and brands in a meaningful way,” stated HP Jin, president and CEO, Telenav. “By working with Sionic Mobile, we can help automotive OEMs further enhance their driver experience and at the same time generate new streams of revenue through in-car advertising and commerce. Together with Sionic Mobile, we are committed to providing drivers a safe, easy to use, and engaging experience while on the go.”
This strategic partnership also leverages the technology of Telenav’s Thinknear® division, which delivers location-based mobile advertisements to more than 100-million mobile consumers. Thinknear leverages its existing relationships with hundreds of national and regional brands, delivering an onboard, connected-car commerce and advertising platform. These relationships expand the ability of drivers to transact with their favorite brands and increases the monetization automotive OEMs can generate through this platform.
“Working closely with Telenav, a known global leader in connected car services, we are creating a simple, yet robust consumer experience that, we believe, will help further define the future of digital commerce in the automotive industry,” said Ronald Herman, CEO of Sionic Mobile. “The in-vehicle experience is evolving quickly. Today’s consumers want the same, or even better, convenience from their infotainment systems as they can get on their smartphones.”
Telenav’s alliance with Sionic Mobile strengthens its leadership position in offering automotive OEMs meaningful ways to monetize their infotainment systems through in-car advertising and commerce. This is important, as it allows automotive OEMs the opportunity to offer connected-car services to their customers at an affordable price or at no cost.
