So get all the latest on Australian in-car navigation right here!
Imagine yourself driving along a fast-flowing highway one stormy night - totally unfamiliar with your surroundings. You can barely see through the misted-up windscreen, cars are roaring past blaring their horns, and you - exploding under the pressure - just realise you were supposed to take the third exit on the left. The one you've just passed! Grrr. That little slip-up has cost you another 10 minutes in travelling time - and, to make matters worse, the fuel gauge doesn't look like it'll make the distance... abso-bloody-lutely perfect!
But - thankfully - life can now be made a lot easier thanks to the wonder of in-car navigation systems...
A lot has changed in the world of in-car navigation recently - especially here in Australia. You may remember that about a year ago, AutoSpeed did a feature on the only system that was commercially available at the time - the Philips-based CARiN system. Since then, however, major OE parts supplier VDO has bought out Philips Car Systems, and has taken the idea of in-car navigation under its own wing. At the end of the day, this means in-car navigation is still available, but it's now under the newly formed VDO Dayton banner. CARiN is dead.
Not surprisingly, the main operating principles of the Dayton system remain the same as those that were employed in CARiN. This means the unit receives a GPS signal transmitted from orbiting satellites, and - in addition - uses a "dead reckoning" system of location. This is whereby a piezo gyroscope and an electronic speedometer input is fed into the main computer. Ground information is then compared against digital mapping data stored on a system CD-ROM to ensure extreme accuracy (usually to within plus or minus 10 metres).
Using In-Car Navigation
In the first instance - when you switch it on - the Number 1 job for the Dayton system is to identify where the car is (which is done primarily through the in-coming satellite signal). With the vehicle location found, you are then able to plug in where it is that you want to go - by means of city, suburb and street name. Street numbers are also selectable in most city areas. Alternatively, you can simply make a selection from up to 100 pre-set saved addresses, scroll down through a list of streets in the suburb menu, or - with the top-line MS5000 model - click on the destination on-screen. Once this destination information is entered, the system then gets to work plotting the best route. This "best" route can be set for optimised time, optimised distance and travelling on or off main roads - it depends which you prefer. Yo can even set it to avoid toll roads. After a couple of seconds think-time, the system then comes up with a pictogram to point you in the right direction, in addition to verbal guidance in either a male or female voice.
Along the path to your destination, the voice of the Dayton unit will keep you informed about where you need to make turns (with plenty of notice given), and the pictogram display is shown at all times. If - for whatever reason - you deviate from the set course, the system will either ask you to make a U-turn or it will calculate an alternative route. Incidentally, an alternative route can quickly be called up at any time, to avoid delays caused by road works or car accidents, etc. Finally - upon reaching your destination - the Dayton voice also tells you "you have arrived"...
Under difficult driving situations such as multi-lane roundabouts, Mr Dayton will also give you a detailed description of which branch to take. It even tells you when you need to stay left when the road veers. And, don't worry, Dayton never tells you to go down a one-way road either - the road map CD has been very thoroughly mapped out! In addition to its primary guidance function, the Dayton unit also comes with a "Places of Interest" menu, which spits out with the location of nearby railway stations, airports, car parks, city centres and more. This is a great feature if you're travelling in unfamiliar territory.
The VDO Dayton Range in Australia
At present, there are three VDO Dayton navigation systems available in Oz - the MS3000, MS4000 and MS5000 (incidentally, the MS stands for Multimedia System). Here's the list of features for each of the trio...
MS3000
The entry-level Dayton system - which now retails for only AUS$2369 - is the Monochrome screen MS3000. This navigation-only package includes a central computer unit featuring comprehensive icon and voice guidance, a Traffic Message Channel (which is presently unused in Australia), 8 route choices, intelligent destination input (which aids in entering a destination address) and a choice of 19 voices (male/female in 9 different languages). There's also a soft take-in CD player with shock protection, as well as speed-dependent volume control. Up front, the combined control unit/monitor has an illuminated infrared remote control (with its own docking station), detachable face, integrated monitor holder and it's easy to install on the dash or as an overhead unit. Options are a MR4000 radio, MT5000 Dynamic Navigation Receiver and ML 5000 speakers.
MS4000
The next step-up is the single DIN sized MS4000, which combines all of the 3000's nav technology - plus an integrated audio component. This incorporates a RDS-Tuner/CD player with a 4x40W (max) output, 4 channel pre-amp out, CD changer control, DAB control, telephone in/mute, digital sound processor and, of course, a detachable front panel. Its remote-mounted computer body also features an additional emergency function. Optional equipment for the MS4000 is a CH1000 CD changer, MA4000 illuminated IR remote (with docking station), MD4000 DAB tuner and a PA4600 amplifier.
MS5000
The top-line VDO Dayton navigation system in Australia is the colour screen MS5000. In terms of navigation, this has everything the 400 has, plus a scrolling map/split screen display, trip computer, 6 day/night colour settings and a 32-bit processor. The full-colour monitor features a 5.8 inch anti-reflective wide-screen display, on-screen display settings, light sensor for automatic display brightness control and an illuminated IR remote with docking station. Video-ins also allow you to display other sources, such as Nintendo, PAL video, a rear view camera, DVD movies and even digital photographs. On top of the main unit, you can also get a MT5000 Dynamic Navigation Receiver, a MG5000 GSM handsfree telephone and a TV5000 television tuner. The latter enables you to receive television broadcasts as well as teletext information (like news, weather and business information).
Some Parting Words...
The cost of in-car navigation has fallen dramatically over the past year. The above-mentioned systems (complete with a CD-ROM map) now retail for between AUS$2369 and AUS$3449 (with installation costing around AUS$200-$350). This represents a huge drop in price over the old CARiN system, which sold for between around $3500 and $4495 (and that was pre-GST pricing!).
Furthermore, the Dayton system is operable "forever", as its road map CD-ROMs are fully updateable (just like a street directory is updated). At present, the CD-ROM's road map coverage extends to around 80% of Australia's populated areas, and new discs are said to be to be released six monthly. These can be bought for under $10.
To us, it looks like the future for in-car navigation can be nothing but a bright one. When major car manufacturers like Alfa Romeo, BMW, Holden and Hyundai are fitting this kind of equipment to their optioned-up vehicles, it won't be long until it's considered the norm. After all, it's projected that - within only two years - over 2.5 million VDO navigation systems will be operating inside Europe alone... And that's a bloody lot!
Other big manufacturers are also putting their own in-car navigation systems on-line in other countries. To give you just a few examples, Pioneer, Alpine, Blaupunkt, Kenwood, Sony and Fujitsu Ten are all retailing to their local market places. The race is certainly on...
So - go on - ride the crest of this new wave of automotive technology and get in while it's still fresh!
Contact:
VDO Car Communication
www.vdodayton.com
1800 335 282 or
+61 3 9450 3179 for your nearest dealer
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