Just a few years ago, the idea that a small box would be able to direct car drivers through the warren of streets in any given city would have been met with perplexed expressions. Yet in a relatively short space of time, millions of motorists have become dependent on their sat nav systems to navigate the roads on their behalf. Indeed, the days of the road atlas could already be numbered.
Some of the more sophisticated units, such as the Garmin Nuvi 1490T, offer live traffic updates, lane assist technology and speed camera warning sounds. Getting from A to B has never been easier, and with the continually evolving technology the future of driving a motor vehicle will start to look very different indeed. Surprisingly, on-board navigation units have been around in some form for many decades. As far back as the 1930s, drivers were able to follow directional systems, although they looked somewhat different in those days. They had pre-printed maps scrolling across a display area, and were linked to the speedometer of the car.
The modern GPS units are very different, of course, but it’s worth remembering they have only been available on general release for a few years. Many new cars are including on-board sat nav systems as standard, but for most of us they are bought separately from stores and online retailers and affixed to the dashboard or the inside of the windscreen.
One of the most popular manufacturers is TomTom, a Dutch company that has a reputation for producing some of the most sophisticated models on the market. Through their website, users can even download new voices to their units. Among the more intriguing people to offer their vocal skills are Snoop Dogg, Brian Blessed and Billy Connolly.
TomTom have a number of sat nav systems on the market at the moment. Their XXL IQ Routes model has an easy to read 5-inch screen, so users will be able to clearly see where they should be going. Like most GPS units, it has a touchscreen feature so is remarkably easy to operate, even for people who have little experience in this area.
When the first commercial sat nav systems became popular, the spoken directions merely advised the driver to ‘turn right’, ‘turn left’, etc. But recently a number of units have been released which feature spoken street names. This feature can be extremely useful for motorists who are looking for a specific road.
These exceptionally useful accessories are available at prices to suit all pockets. The more basic models can be purchased for less than £100, an amazing bargain when you consider the time and fuel that can be saved over the course of a year. As with all consumer products, if you’re prepared to pay more you will be able to get a more sophisticated item, of course, so there are systems for just about anyone.
Early GPS units featured street maps of the relevant country, but rarely went beyond that. It was often possible to purchase extra maps over the Internet, so if you were planning to travel abroad you could be prepared. The modern systems often include mapping for several countries, with the Garmin Nuvi 3790T offering maps of 43 countries.
