Clear Channel to offer traffic updates to BMWs

Clear Channel Radio said Thursday it will provide data from its Total Traffic Network to the navigation systems for most 2007 BMW vehicles--including the X5, M5, M6 models and the 3, 5, and 6 Series lines. The service, which is set to kick in for new BMW buyers later this month, offers real-time traffic information for 44 cities in the United States. The service will be included in the cost of the navigation system, so there will be no monthly fees.

This is Clear Channel's first partnership with an auto manufacturer, but the radio giant's Total Traffic Network has been paired with other services, among them WeatherBug and Microsoft's MapPoint.