IRVINE, CA - Mazda owners can now access roadside assistance with a swipe of a finger. The new iPhone App is designed to help Mazda drivers obtain immediate roadside assistance, should they find themselves with a flat tire, out of gas, locked out of their car, or in need of a tow due to a mechanical failure. The App puts drivers directly in touch with a roadside assistance agent, who can quickly dispatch reliable and professional roadside assistance to the vehicle's exact location via GPS-enabled technology, anytime.

The Mazda Roadside Assistance App is the first interactive push notification-based roadside Application in the industry. The App gives drivers estimated time of arrival (ETA) and Service Provider information throughout the roadside event. Mazda owners can expect to receive three notifications via the App:
• Closed Loop 1 - ETA for service and service provider information with the ability to directly call the service provider or Mazda Roadside Assistance.
• Closed Loop 2 - Once ¾ of the ETA has elapsed, a reminder notification will be sent to the App with the remaining ETA and Service Provider information and the ability to directly call the service provider or Mazda Roadside Assistance.
• Closed Loop 3 - Confirmation that the service provider has arrived and service has been completed. 

The system works in conjunction with Mazda's roadside assistance and roadside assistance plus programs.

To offer more efficient service, the App lets owners input critical data pertaining to their vehicles such as the vehicle identification number (VIN), color and other information. For added safety, Mazda Roadside Assistance includes an emergency response button for urgent situations. 

The App is designed for easy, intuitive use: After first asking whether the driver is in a safe location and giving the option to request immediate emergency help, Mazda Roadside Assistance then prompts the operator to select from a menu of disablement types. Depending on the response from the driver, further queries are made to quickly determine the specific nature of the problem and whether, for example, you have a good spare tire onboard or not.  The App can be downloaded, free of charge, by logging onto http://mazda.crosscountry-auto.com/, beginning April 6, 2010. The App runs on iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. It is not available on iPod Touch. The App is developed in partnership with Mazda's roadside assistance partner, Cross Country Automotive Services.

Cross Country Automotive Services was recently awarded the Customer Interaction Solutions 2010 Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) Excellence Award for the Mazda Roadside Assistance App. The annual award is given to companies with products or services that help extend and expand the customer relationship to become all-encompassing, covering the entire enterprise and the entire lifetime of the customer.

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in the United States in 2010, Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.