Iteris Inc. said year-to-date sales of its Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) for the commercial truck markets have increased 75% compared to the same period last year.

"We are extremely pleased with Iteris' strong sales of the LDWS in the commercial truck market," said Francis Memole, general manager and vice president of vehicle sensors for Iteris. "We have exceeded our goals in fiscal 2004, and the continued strength in sales is a strong indication that safety remains a top priority for the trucking industry. With more than 1 billion kilometers of use in commercial trucks in the U.S. and Europe, our LDWS is a proven product that we believe has the potential to become standard equipment on commercial trucks in the near future."
The LDWS was developed by Iteris to address one of the nation's largest causes of highway fatalities -- unintended lane changes caused by drowsy or inattentive drivers.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 1.5 million automobile accidents are caused by distracted or drowsy drivers, a staggering statistic that claims the lives of over 18,000 people every year in the U.S.
Iteris' LDWS has been successful in the European heavy truck market since 2000 when Mercedes began installing the system in its Actros trucks. MAN Trucks, also based in Europe, offers the technology as optional equipment on its new trucks.
In the U.S., Freightliner LLC was the first to offer Iteris' LDWS as a factory-installed option. Shortly thereafter, International Truck and Engine Corp. became the first company to offer Iteris' LDWS as an aftermarket option.
Iteris Inc., is a majority owned subsidiary of Iteris Holdings Inc., and is a leading provider of outdoor machine vision systems and sensors that optimize the flow of traffic and enhance driver safety.
Iteris Holdings and Iteris Inc. are headquartered in Anaheim, Calif. For details, call (714) 774-5000, or visit www.iteris.com.