DirecTV Group Inc. said Wednesday that it will begin offering a service that will transmit its satellite television channels to cars.

The system, called the TracVision A7 mobile satellite TV system, will send local news, sports, traffic, weather and other channels to cars, buses and other vehicle equipped with a newly developed proprietary video receiver. The new service is available to existing DirecTV subscribers for $4.99 and $44.99 for non-subscribers and offers more than 185 channels, the company said.

To receive the channels, Direct TV customers must purchase a TracVision A7 satellite TV system, which includes an integrated GPS unit and a 12-volt receiver, and retails for around $3,000. It does not include a video display, which must be purchased separately, and is compatable with virtually every display.

The El Segundo-based satellite TV provider said that the mobile local channels offering is part of a strategy to target the more than 20 million U.S. vehicles expected to have in-vehicle passenger video systems by 2011. The company also cited a study by J.D. Power & Associates last year that said more than 60 percent of SUV owners and 50 percent of minivans owners want passenger entertainment in their next vehicles.

Shares of Direct TV closed down 1 cent in Wednesday trading to $18.20.