Autoblog

BMW develops microNavigation, augments in-car GPS with downloadable microMaps

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST

BMW microNavigation - Click above for high-res image gallery

That ultra-expensive in-dash navigation system can be a huge help when finding a destination in an unfamiliar area. Unfortunately, if you're just a visitor, it might not be clear where to park your car or enter the building once you get there. Current navigation systems, both in-dash and hand-held types, have limited databases of such detailed information.

That's why BMW is developing a microNavigation system called Pathfinder to supplement the data stored onboard the car. Pathfinder allows you to download more detailed information about your destination in the form of a MicroMap to a memory card before you leave the house. When the card is inserted into the car, the data is added to the built-in navigation information. The more detailed information can even work with a camera used for lane departure warning to tell the driver which lane they should be in to catch ramps and entries to highways or parking structures.

Once the car is parked, the data can be transferred to a smartphone or other mobile device for the final leg of the trip. The phone can guide you directly to your destination and in can even remember where you parked. When more vehicles are offered with their own mobile data connections, this data could even be downloaded directly straight to the car on the fly. Of course, all of this requires the creation of far more detailed maps than exist today, and it's not clear if current map data providers will produce these microMaps. Google Is incorporating much of this information from its search index, however, and following its recent deals with Ford and General Motors' OnStar, it could soon be the default provider for every automaker.

Gallery: BMW Micronavigation

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW develops microNavigation, augments in-car GPS with downloadable microMaps

BMW develops microNavigation, augments in-car GPS with downloadable microMaps originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vehicle downloads for Garmin Nuvi (sorta) make us want one

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 14:07:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Toys/Games

With an increasing number of new cell phones offering free, integrated turn-by-turn navigation, the days of the standalone navigation device must surely be numbered. Of course, those dedicated navigators still offer some features you can't (yet) get elsewhere, such as the Darth Vader or Dennis Hopper voices for TomTom and downloadable vehicles for the Garmin Nuvi.

Garmin users can replace the regular old arrow that shows your direction with dozens of vehicles ranging from classics like the BMW Isetta, to space shuttles, to Bumblebee, as seen above. Does it improve the functionality of your Nuvi in any way? Of course not, but it can make the little screen more fun to look at. The Nuvi vehicle downloads are free from a non-Garmin-affiliated third party, while most of the TomTom voices cost extra. Will this sort of thing have us trading in our Droid? Not a chance.

[Source: Vehicles for Garmin Nuvi]

Vehicle downloads for Garmin Nuvi (sorta) make us want one originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation on Android 2.0

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, New Car Reviews

Google maps turn by turn navigation - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's no secret that we've been openly critical of the prices charged by automakers for built-in GPS navigation systems. Frankly, paying $2,000 or more for an in-dash system when you can buy stand-alone navigation units for as little as $100 is ridiculous. Even the newer, larger seven-inch screen units are now down to as little as $250, and even though they aren't tied in to a vehicles' wheel sensors, they tend to be plenty accurate. Now, however, there is a new option that is even cheaper - as in (sort of) free.

It's only "sort of" free because the Google maps turn-by-turn navigation app is built into the new Motorola Droid smartphone (see sister-site Engadget's full review of the Droid here) that recently became available from Verizon Wireless. In this case, you have to sign up for two years of mobile phone service, which includes a data plan. I've been a Verizon customer for a decade and just happened to be up for a biennial discounted phone upgrade. When the Droid appeared a few weeks ago, the plan to wait until the new year for a Palm Pre was discarded. We've now had the chance to play with the Droid and its new navigation software, so follow the jump to find out if it lives up to expectations.

Gallery: Motorola Droid Google Navigation

Continue reading Review: Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation on Android 2.0

Review: Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation on Android 2.0 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Road Trip Review: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe with Navigation [w/VIDEO]

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Technology, Hyundai, New Car Reviews

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe w/Nav - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's been less than a year since the Hyundai Genesis Coupe hit the streets, but the Korean automaker isn't sitting on its hands. Just as it's done in the past, Hyundai is launching a steady stream of refreshed and redesigned models, and even new models - like the Genesis - are benefiting from the updates. At the top of Hyundai's list of early cycle improvements is fitting the Genesis Coupe with a satellite navigation system, something that's been missing since it's launch earlier this year. So after getting an exclusive glimpse of a prototype system in May, Hyundai invited us back to sample the production version in a few Coupes and one Sedan. How's it work? We hit the road to find out.

Gallery: Road Trip Review: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe with Navigation

Continue reading Road Trip Review: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe with Navigation [w/VIDEO]

Road Trip Review: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe with Navigation [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Nissan driver-assist tech helps the James May in you find his inner Stig

Sam Abuelsamid — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 11:41:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Nissan

For the last century, automotive engineers have worked diligently to send Charles Darwin's concept of natural selection into obsolescence. It appears that we're inching closer to the time when any fool with a pulse may be able to climb behind the wheel of car and traverse a series of curves looking much more like the white-helmeted mystery driver from Top Gear than Captain Slow. The new Nissan Fuga (known here as the Infiniti M), debuting this fall at the Tokyo Motor Show, will feature fresh technology including new driver assistance systems.

In this case, Infiniti has integrated the GPS navigation system (hope those satellites hang in there) with the M's electronic stability control. As always, ESC uses inertial sensors to detect what the car is actually doing and compares that information to the actual driver inputs to see if they match. If not (i.e. understeer or oversteer) the brakes are individually applied at each wheel and engine torque may be reduced to help make the car go where the driver intended.

The GPS integration allows the system to detect where the road is going ahead and further manipulate the car, while alerting the driver to slow down by pushing the throttle back against his or her footn. Maybe it's all just a part of Nissan's master plan to save trees by preventing cars from being wrapped around them. Or perhaps we're just seeing the evolution of the Idiocracy. You can read the official PR from Nissan after the jump.

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading New Nissan driver-assist tech helps the James May in you find his inner Stig

New Nissan driver-assist tech helps the James May in you find his inner Stig originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Jul 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can GPS units makes you more fuel efficient? Navteq seems to think so...

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 01 May 2009 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Green, Technology

A recent survey conducted by research firm NuStats and funded by GPS-maker NAVTEQ found that drivers equipped with in-car navigation units use 12% less fuel than their non-guided counterparts. The study focused on three groups of drivers in Germany. The first used no GPS at all, the second had a basic GPS and the third had a GPS unit that included traffic information. None of the participants had previously owned navigation units.

Once the participating drivers that had been given GPS units got used to relying on the computer's directions, some interesting results were observed. Drivers with navigation units ended up driving shorter distances and spent less time behind the wheel. As a result, these drivers used less fuel than motorists without GPS units. Want to know more? See the full press release after the break.

[Source: NAVTEQ via Jalopnik]

Continue reading Can GPS units makes you more fuel efficient? Navteq seems to think so...

Can GPS units makes you more fuel efficient? Navteq seems to think so... originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 May 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't tell ME how to drive! - Next-gen Ford navigation system could have "emotions"

Dan Roth — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., I.C.E., Technology, Ford

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."

Gallery: Ford Next-Gen Navigation System

[Source: swdelaw]

Don't tell ME how to drive! - Next-gen Ford navigation system could have "emotions" originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW ditching navigation DVDs for 2009

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:03:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, BMW

BMW's MY 2009 cars will get a new iDrive system with a 40GB hard drive. According to Bimmerfile, the drive allotment will have 12GB dedicated to navigational maps (and 8GB for entertainment and 10GB for your address book, because you've got more friends than music, apparently). With nav maps placed on the hard drive, BMW will no longer be providing a case full of map DVDs. The maps will have the entire US on them, or Europe if you pick up your car at BMW Welt. When things have moved on and it's time to get your maps updated, you'll take your car and your checkbook to a BMW dealer, and they'll install U.S. v2.0.

[Source: BMW Blog]

BMW ditching navigation DVDs for 2009 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How about a smaller nav screen? Magna develops in-mirror display

Dan Roth — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, I.C.E.

While Ford's giving the Fusion an LCD large enough to watch feature films, Magna has joined up with Swiss firm u-blox and Germany's Paragon to develop a navigation system that puts the map display in your rearview mirror. The system is called MirrorPilot, and it does look like a slick way to add factory navigation with a minimum of effort on the automaker's part. It's also far nicer than suction-cupping some aftermarket unit to the windshield and dealing with its tangle of cables. It's not just a mirror with a display; the MirrorPilot incorporates a GPS receiver and antenna, as well as a speaker. The mirror itself self-dims electrochromically, and the display automatically zooms at intersections and also comes with a remote control. The screen may be small, but the cost is large; this unit will be priced above $1,000 when it goes on sale in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. While it's a nice idea, it's not $1,000 worth of nice, especially with such a diminutive screen. We'll buy a cheaper unit and stock up on zip ties to keep the wires in check, which should leave enough in our pocket for a very nice dinner out - we'll just punch up a fancy restaurant on the POI menu.

[Source: Inside Line]

How about a smaller nav screen? Magna develops in-mirror display originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drivers may surf .car websites while driving

Dan Roth — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, I.C.E., Safety, Technology

We already know that in-car web browsing is on its way. Both BMW and Chrysler have already revealed that the feature is forthcoming in their vehicles, and more automakers are sure to follow. But telematics provider ATX Group is sticking its nose in to ensure that the web we're one day browsing in our cars is safe to use (read: no fun at all). ATX is working with a group called the Connected Vehicle Trade Association to push a standardized method for getting web content into automobiles. ATX is exploring ways to adapt the traditional web experience to meet the demands of the automotive environment, similar to the way mobile versions of websites target cellphone browsers, nevermind that the mobile web experience pales in comparison to surfing normal websites on a device like the iPhone, which works inside cars last time we checked. One idea is to target automobile surfing through implementation of a standard top-level domain, .car, which would house content specifically designed to work with the to-be-determined vehicular web standard.

With safety in mind, we're guessing that ATX and the CVTA will kick around a text-to-speech function that allows pages to be read-aloud to a driver by the embedded hardware, and possibly a standardization of page size for reliably fast loading. Telematics also opens up another area for targeted services, such as remote diagnostics, parental surveillance via performance monitoring, and dynamic traffic information. Developing a standard also helps automakers avoid duplicating each others' efforts as they all race to deliver E! Online to your dashboard. Ah yes, in-car internet will no doubt be the latest whiz-bang distraction from the task of actually driving one's car.

[Source: ATX]

Continue reading Drivers may surf .car websites while driving

Drivers may surf .car websites while driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 May 2008 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda system warns motorists of crime hotspots, steers clear of Detroit

Dan Roth — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Honda, First Drives

Honda's launching the next step in navigation system evolution that will automatically warn drivers to be on guard when traveling through areas of high crime. The system is launching in Japan on Tuesday, but we haven't heard of any plans to bring it to the United States. It's probably for the best, as there'd be wide swaths of the country that this navi would recommend you avoid. Places like Washington DC, where crime is apparently legal and perpetrated by criminals with offices and staffs. Detroit might be marked with an avoidance warning too, but that's more likely due to Honda wanting to avoid a Jets-Sharks danceoff.

Honda's warning system uses historical data from the Japanese police to pinpoint areas where vehicle damage or theft has happened in the past. Areas then receive ratings based on the level of danger they pose to automobiles just passing through. We guess it could be useful for people who don't take notice of their surroundings when behind the wheel, but some of us may lump it in with other "safety" annoyances like self-locking doors.

[Source: AFP]

Honda system warns motorists of crime hotspots, steers clear of Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smart, but flawed: Steering wheel navigation screen

Dan Roth — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, CES, Technology

The latest gizmo from Japan's Takata will tell you where to go, but not like those verbally abusive digital keychains from the '90s. The Takata CSW steering wheel is designed to interface with sensors in your vehicle and display different messages on an LCD screen in the 12 o'clock position. There are already lights and sirens to let you know if your door is ajar or the washer fluid is low, but the CSW wheel's best trick is that it will talk to the Navigon 7100 navigation system, should you have one. It's an interesting cross-brand lashup that is pushing the envelope of aftermarket integration.

The screen in the wheel works in conjunction with the larger screen in the navigation unit to display instructions, though the improvement over just the Navigon would likely be sufficient. Both the wheel and the Navi can reportedly poll vehicle sensors, though we're not sure exactly how, so the systems would be more aware of what the driver is doing beyond merely position data. Both companies hope the wheel will reduce driver distraction, though we're not convinced that looking down to the wheel rim is any safer or more convenient than the slight gaze diversion to the customary upper center of the dashboard. We don't know of any manufacturer plans to OEM-issue these units, but the effort could portend a future convergence in the gadget galaxy.

[Source: Navigadget via Kicking Tires; Photo: SoundDomain]

Smart, but flawed: Steering wheel navigation screen originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Better late than never: Hyundai's new nav systems finally arrive

Chris Shunk — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Technology, Crossover, Hyundai

Hyundai has quickly developed a full range of products in its US lineup, and quality scores from companies like JD Power show those vehicles now rank among the best in the industry. For all of Hyundai's progress the past few years, the South Korean automaker has taken its time getting navigation systems into its fleet of cars and trucks.

For '08, the Azera, Santa Fe, and Veracruz all get nav systems, the Genesis sedan receives a separate high-end interface, and the bread-and-butter 2009 Sonata will get the tech as well. The folks over at Kicking Tires proclaim the interface to be bright, clear, and easy to use. It's about time. With Hyundai raising the price of entry for the Sonata to match (or exceed) the competition, it's important that the midsize sedan has everything the competition offers. It's just a shame that it took until now for them to do it.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Gallery: 2009 Hyundai Sonata

Better late than never: Hyundai's new nav systems finally arrive originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 09 Feb 2008 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"At the next boulder, turn right off cliff"

Joel Arellano — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 19:04:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Technology

Technology is wonderful. Technology is also made or, in this case, programmed by people.

Drivers using GPS navigation in the English village of Crackpot (killer name for a town, BTW) are often being guided by such devices to the top of a 30-metre (over 98 feet) cliff. The directional glitch forces drivers of everything from cars to buses to big trucks to turn around perilously close to the cliff's edge. Predictably, though, sometimes the vehicle gets stuck. Says Carol Porter, who farms in Crackpot, "When they get grounded on the small boulders, we're having to go up there in the tractor and pull them out."

[Source: Cape Times]

"At the next boulder, turn right off cliff" originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Apr 2006 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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