TOMY Revolutionizes Car Seat Safety With The First Smartphone-Synched Convertible Car Seat

OAK BROOK, Ill., July 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A new car seat from TOMY International that will revolutionize the way parents and caregivers think about automobile safety for babies and toddlers is now available for consumers to purchase. TOMY's The First Years brand is producing the first mobile-synched car seat, featuring an integrated innovative monitoring system designed to alert parents of unsafe and potentially life-threatening situations. The First Years True Fit IAlert Convertible Car Seat (for use from 5 to 65 lbs.) monitors a child in the car seat and notifies parents or caregivers with an alert via their Smartphones if: 

• A child moves out of the car seat while the vehicle is in motion
• A child is left in the car seat when the vehicle is not in motion

Additionally, the IAlert Smartphone App:

• Assists in achieving the recommended angle orientation for rear-facing installation
• Reminds caregivers to buckle up their child
• Displays the temperature in the back seat of the car

Each year, thousands of infants and children are killed or injured in motor vehicles, many of those fatalities as a result of an improperly installed car seat or a child who is improperly restrained while the vehicle is in motion. In addition, heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle related deaths for children, with 33 fatalities in 2012 and many other illnesses occurring after children were unintentionally left in cars, according to KidsAndCars.org. Unfortunately, until now, parents and caregivers have only been aware of these life-threatening situations after a close call or tragedy has occurred.

"At TOMY, our mission is to help parents and caregivers keep kids safe by making innovative high quality products that are easy to use and install. To that end, the new The First Years True Fit IAlert Convertible Car Seat has built-in features and functions that take some of the guesswork out of using infant gear properly," says Greg Kilrea, President and Chief Executive Officer of TOMY International. "The advanced Smartphone-synched technology integrated into The First Years True Fit IAlert Convertible Car Seat helps provide parents with additional peace of mind, which is central to our Company mission. It is critically important to TOMY that we take a leadership position in advancing the overall safety of children in motor vehicles."

"All new parents need to learn how to keep their child safe in and around vehicles. KidsAndCars.org believes the solution to preventing tragedies is education along with technology in case the driver's memory fails," says Janette Fennell, President and Founder of KidsAndCars.org. "When parents follow our simple 'Look Before You Lock' program safety tips such as never leaving their child alone in the car and always opening the back door once they arrive at their destination, they are taking life-saving steps to protect their children."

The IAlert Convertible Car Seat application, produced in partnership with St. Louis, Mo.-based CARS-N-KIDS LLC, is compatible with iPhone and Android devices, and is currently available to consumers. Once the app has been installed and synched, the app provides an audio and a visual alert on the user's Smartphone when a monitored issue occurs, so that parents or caregivers can pull over to a safe location and check the situation. The system can also be configured to send a text message to other family members or caregivers in the event of an unsafe situation. The First Years True Fit IAlert Convertible Car Seat, which retails for $349.99, is now available exclusively on Amazon.com.

The First Years True Fit IAlert Convertible Car Seat – Description & Specifications
The First Years True Fit IAlert Convertible Car Seat is a revolutionary new car seat with an integrated monitoring system designed to alert parents of potentially life-threatening situations. Working in partnership with CARS-N-KIDS LLC out of St. Louis Mo., this patented technology, when integrated into the True Fit Convertible Car Seat, assists parents or caregivers via their Smartphones with the recommended angle orientation when installing in the rear facing position. In addition, it alerts them if their child moves out of their seat while the vehicle is in motion, if their child is left unattended in the car when the car is not in motion and constantly displays the ambient temperature in the back seat of the car, The First Years True Fit IAlert Convertible Car Seat is side-impact tested to international standards and offers all the standard features of the True Fit line, including the Rebound Energy Management system for rear-facing installation. Managing rebound energy helps reduce the chance for broken bones in the legs, hips and waist that can be significant in a violent crash. The True Fit IAlert Convertible Car Seat also features a new head rest designed to help manage head control, a no-rethread, easy-adjust harness, built in lock offs, color coded belt paths, LATCH, center angle indicator, cup holder and easy-off pads for convenient cleaning. For use rear-facing 5 to 35 lbs.; forward-facing 23-65 lbs. MSRP: $349.99, available now exclusively on Amazon.com.

About TOMY International
TOMY International (www.tomy.com) is a leading global designer, producer and marketer of a broad range of innovative, high-quality toys sold to preschoolers, youths and adults under the TOMY®, Ertl®, Johnny Lightning® and Tomica® brands as well as products for mothers, infants and toddlers marketed under its The First Years®, Lamaze, JJ Cole® Collections and Boon® brands. TOMY International also markets its products under popular and classic licensed properties such as Chuggington, Pokemon, Dinosaur Train, John Deere, Disney's Winnie the Pooh, Princesses, Cars, Fairies and Toy Story, and other well-known properties. TOMY International's mission is to inspire and fulfill the dreams of children and parents worldwide. TOMY International reaches its target consumers through multiple channels of distribution supporting more than 25,000 retail outlets throughout North and South America, Europe and Australia. TOMY International is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan-based TOMY Company, Ltd. (Tokyo Stock Exchange Code No. 7867). © TOMY

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