By Jeff Bennett

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

DETROIT (Dow Jones)--Toyota Motor Co. (TM), in a direct attack on Ford Motor Co.'s (F) popular voice-activated Sync system, will begin offering its own in-car information product starting in August.

Safety Connect, featuring automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle location and emergency assistance, will be introduced on some undisclosed Toyota brands. Lexus will offer both Safety Connect and Enform, which provides weather reports and live operator assistance in finding directions. Pricing wasn't disclosed.

Toyota's new telematics products, a blending of computers and wireless communication technologies, takes aim at Ford's Sync system, which has become a hot-selling item since its launch 18 months ago.

Sync, co-developed by Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), allows hands-free users to access to cell phone calls, the CD player and radio. Ford has said that its Sync-equipped Focus cars sold twice as fast as those without the technology. Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally is expected to discuss Sync's future when he addresses the Consumers Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Thursday.

The landscape is likely to get more competitive. At the CES show, telecom giant AT&T (T) is also expected to unveil a similar in-car system that is likely a competitor to Sync.

"You are going to see other car manufacturers with Sync, it won't go away," said a spokesman for the Consumer Electronics Association, which is hosting the annual CES in Las Vegas this week. The spokesman added despite the dour economic times, in-car technology such as Sync continues to drive auto sales.

More specifically, automotive telematics are growing in importance as a sales tool as younger buyers, already using Blackberries, I-Pods and cell phones, expect the same level of technology sophistication in their cars and trucks.

"We have an opportunity to nurture and maintain our customer relationships while helping to reinforce our brands," said Jon Bucci, Toyota's vice president of Advanced Technology Department, in an interview Tuesday.

Safety Connect's collision notification will notify a response center automatically, via embedded cellular technology, when an airbag is deployed or a rear-end collision occurs. An agent will attempt to contact the driver or call for emergency response.

The stolen vehicle locator will use Global Positioning System technology to find a car once a police report is filed by the owner. An Emergency Assistance Button allows one-touch connection to the response center and roadside assistance will be offered 24 hours a day.

Lexus' Enform offers Destination Assist, which connects the user with live-operator assistance while its eDestination feature allows the user to go online, organize destinations and send them to their vehicle.

(Ben Charny contributed to this report)

-By Jeff Bennett, Dow Jones Newswires; (248) 204-5542; jeff.bennett@dowjones.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 07, 2009 12:44 ET (17:44 GMT)