Until cars drive themselves and we absolutely can't get lost, automakers and sat nav companies are steadily enhancing the graphics of navigation systems to make it easier to find the next right turn. Navigation systems in Renaults, for instance, provide a graphic representation of buildings that you'll see as you drive along, and now Microsoft, working with researchers at the University of Konstanz in Germany, have added video to navigational maps.
The project took the snapshots of cities collected by mapping companies (like Google Streetview does) and 'plays' them like video at important sections of the route. The text route and route overview are still provided, the video simply aids in noting or remembering where you need to remember a crucial direction.
You can watch the video before you actually get in your car so that, like cheating for an exam, you'll visually recognize the turn or a landmark when the time comes. The photographs are also skewed as necessary to create the right perspective, and when you get to a turn, the video will look in the proper direction beforehand so that you can note specific features. It's currently still in trial phase, but during the first study it improved people's ability to follow direction by 20 percent. Follow the jump to watch the video, and here's to no more getting lost. Soon.
We've already established that we feel the 2010 Ford Taurus is a lot more interesting than the boring and benign model it replaced, and sales totals are starting to reinforce our findings. September's sales tally revealed that the new Blue Oval flagship received a 60% sales increase versus September of 2008, and while the fact that the top sales market for the Taurus is Metro Detroit is no surprise, second place is likely the real prize. The Taurus is reportedly red-hot in sunny California, and some dealers are having trouble keeping the super-sized sedan in stock.
That's obviously a great problem to have, and Ford spokesperson Amy Marentic told the Detroit Free Press that there is a simple reason why supplies are short: "The older Taurus ... did not move and really wasn't relevant in California." Galpin Ford vice president Beau Boeckmann was a bit more direct in his reasoning, adding "We went from a frumpy car that did not have a southern California appeal to a car that everybody is in love with." Ford says it is also seeing good news on the options front, as it says 95% of customers are ordering uplevel models or are at least adding extras. A significant 25% of customers have reportedly opted to add Ford's excellent navigation system, up from only 4% on the outgoing Taurus.
We're not so sure "everybody" loves the new Taurus, as it's still a big rig that won't ignite the passion of most enthusiasts, but that isn't really its lot in life anyhow, and we can at least say that the new model ought to receive far more love than the neutered bull it replaced.
Want an interesting voice on your satellite navigation system but tired of the Yoda, Stewie, Arnold and Homer themes you've already downloaded? Good news, then. Bob Dylan has just announced on his "Theme Time Radio Hour" show in the U.K. that he may be providing his distinctive vocals to a GPS unit near you soon. Says Dylan:
I am talking to a couple of car companies about being the voice of their GPS system. I think it would be good if you are looking for directions and hear my voice saying something like: left at the next street, no a right - you know what? Just go straight... I probably shouldn't do it because which ever way I go I always end up at one place: Lonely Avenue.We can picture it now... the first time you're lost, Bob Dylan's elastic voice comes on loud through the speakers, "How does it feel? To be on your own... with no direction home. Like a complete unknown." Comforting, no?
With the unveiling of Apple's latest iPhone, the 3GS, the gates were finally thrown open for third-party navigation software companies to develop navigation apps for the world's most popular smart phone. A TomTom app was announced at the same time, but we've been waiting a long time and a number of less well known companies have released navigation apps for the iPhone in the mean time. The wait for TomTom's attempt at navi bliss on the iPhone, however, is over with the introduction of the TomTom U.S. and Canada turn-by-turn navigation program.
The $99.99 app promises all the same nav functionality as a normal single-purpose handheld nav system right on your iPhone. Among its many features are the ability to tap the screen for start points and destinations in either landscape or portrait mode, depending on which way the unit is oriented. The mobile TomTom can also find restaurants and call for reservations, and it features IQRoutes, which calculates the best-possible route based on actual road speed data and accident and construction data. Pretty standard nav stuff, but in this case effectively bundled with a phone and built-in iPod.
When Apple debuted its second generation iPhone 3G, the inclusion of GPS hardware suggested that the everything device might soon replace that TomTom suction-cupped to your windshield by offering real turn-by-turn directions. Other phones offer this functionality, but for whatever reason, Apple forbid it on the iPhone despite the device technically having the capability to pull it off. Today the Cupertino-based company previewed the iPhone OS 3.0, a new software update on the way that, among many new features, will finally allow turn-by-turn directions. While details are scarce, the new functionality is apparently being opened to software developers who can write their own navigation apps for the iPhone and sell them through the iTunes App Store. The only catch mentioned is that developers will have to provide their own maps, suggesting that plugging into the iPhone's native Google Maps is a no-no. We suspect current third-party navigation manufacturers like TomTom, Garmin and Magellan will be all over this.
In the near future, Ford vehicles may fire back a retort if you get cheesed off enough to yell at the car. According to the details of a patent filing, Ford is working on an Emotive Advisory System (EAS) that simulates emotions when interacting with occupants, and may also use an avatar to express itself. The EAS also uses sensors to detect the emotional state of occupants and generate responses based on that data. We all tend to forge some kind of bond with our cars, but it's a little too fantastical and hilarious to imagine rocking down the blacktop in a new Taurus SHO and having the car say "You don't need to drive like a jerk just because you're mad at me."
Factory navigation systems might be a popular option on high-end vehicles, but there's no denying that their astronomical price tag and lack of upgrades make them pale in comparison to aftermarket units available at a fraction of the cost. Automakers contend that the integration with the vehicle's systems and the lack of unsightly cords are worth it, but when you consider that the technology was locked in three years ago, the choice is clear. Time to go to Best Buy.
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More and more people are adding electronic gadgetry to their car's arsenal after their initial purchase, which often makes sense since it almost always costs less to add audio equipment or GPS navigation from an aftermarket company than it does to spec if from the factory. Sadly, recent statistics prove that you'd better be careful with that shiny new piece of technology. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 24,700 portable navigation systems were swiped in 2008, representing a whopping 700% increase over 2006. While the number in thefts has rocketed skyward, the number of units sold have likewise gone supernova, leading us to wonder if the actual percentage of thefts over units in service has changed appreciably overall. Apple's iPod is also attractive to thieves, who stole 17,000 of the little music players in '08. Perhaps the rise in iPod thefts helps explain why half as many car stereos (14,000) were stolen last year than in 2006, although we are willing to bet that automakers' continued move away from standard-sized, non-integrated head units is also a major factor. Our common sense advice? Add-on nav systems and iPods are portable for a reason... remove them from your car when you leave it parked. Disaster averted.
GM is out to win hearts and minds, one OnStar-equipped vehicle at a time. The General is talking to other carmakers about offering OnStar, which would be a return to previous practice. The service was linked with six other brands in the past, including Audi, Acura, and Lexus, but the ties were cut around the time cellular communications switched to digital from analog. Now OnStar is ready to start adding friends to its profile again, and not just in the U.S. and Canada: the General is looking at expanding into other countries. GM says the driver aid has been getting more profitable for GM over the years, and that's in spite of reduced car sales. About 20% of used car buyers have been adding the service, which has kept the six-million-strong subscriber base growing. This looks like a good situation all around: GM makes money, customers get services, call centers don't need to be replicated. We just hope that the partners keep in-car navigation as well -- that turn-by-turn stuff is for the birds.
Navigon and Rand McNally have teamed up to develop some interesting new GPS features that make it easier for users to personalize their trips. Landmark View 3D is s a $40 upgrade for Navigon's 2200T model and has the ability to display 600 North American landmark buildings in 3D to aid directions... or at least add some novelty to your nav. In keeping with the tourist theme, scenic routes and city guides will be available for $20 each. The scenic routes will feature weekend getaway suggestions, picturesque tours and regional trips. More than 1,400 cites are covered in the guides and routes can be customized to fit your interests. And for another $30 a year, Navigon owners can now be alerted to red light camera locations. Headed overseas? Add maps of 38 European countries to your Navigon for $130. The update comes pre-loaded on an SD card and covers 4.5 million miles of road and millions of points of interest. The new features will be available for download from the Navigon Fresh software website sometime in the Spring.
