Testing the Road Angel 2

In 2003 we tested the original Road Angel portable GPS and road hazard warning system (see The Road Angel). Back then, the Road Angel used a relatively small LCD display in conjunction with a beeper to alert drivers of permanent speed cameras, safety blackspots, road works, school speed zones and user-programmed danger spots. The unit also had a GPS-based road speed display that gave excellent accuracy. However, we criticised the unit for its clumsy update process and hit-or-miss safety data when venturing off main roads. It also cost AUD$995.

Two years on and the unit has been comprehensively upgraded to tackle its newly-arrived competitor – the Uniden GPS301 (see Testing the Uniden GPS301).

The new Road Angel 2 GPS receiver/display unit is attractive and features much larger characters for easy viewing. Its blue/red back-lighting is also effective in various light conditions. As previously, there are three buttons on the unit. These buttons are clearly labelled and large enough for easy operation – however, there is a front blanking panel that looks like a fourth button.

The Road Angel 2 is easy to mount inside a car using the supplied windscreen or dashboard mounting hardware. For windscreen mounting, use the suction cups and vibration dampeners to attach the bracket to the glass. The Road Angel incorporates a strong magnet on its base – this is what firmly holds the unit onto the bracket. Note that this mounting approach enables lightening-fast fitment and removal of the unit. For dashboard mounting, a magnetic base is stuck directly onto the dashboard surface. The Road Angel should be positioned with a clear view of the sky through the windscreen and in the driver’s line of sight. Power is fed to the unit by a curly cord or straight cord that connects to the car’s cigarette lighter. A permanent ignition-switched power supply can be configured if you want.

And what are the Road Angel 2’s new functions?

Well, the new Road Angel continues using an audible alarm and visual alert but there’s now a spoken alert as well. A female voice now says to "drive safely" when you start the car and gives spoken warning on road conditions ahead. The messages are brief and to the point. A high-intensity flashing LED is also added to grab your attention.

A user-preset over-speed alarm is another handy addition. As soon as you exceed your selected road speed, the Road Angel 2 flashes an over-speed warning on the display and says "Warning – check speed". The normally blue back-lighting changes to red whenever a warning is shown. School zone warnings are also given during school days and driver fatigue timer – which sounds after 2 hours of driving – is added to the new Road Angel. As previously, the unit also has a display of current latitude and longitude, which might come in handy if you require emergency rescue.

Another new feature is a permanently displayed atomic clock and compass, which indicates whether you’re driving N, E, S or W. There’s also a bar graph showing the current amount of satellite coverage. Road speed is displayed in 1 km/h increments with an update rate of once per second.

We tested the Road Angel 2 around Adelaide and overall it performed very well.

We like the large characters on the display and the easily recognisable warning symbols. The LCD screen is extremely high quality and can be viewed in almost all conditions – it’s only when wearing sunglasses and the display is shaded that characters are difficult to read. The flashing high-intensity LED is very prominent at all times.

The spoken warnings are a mixed bag – the biggest benefit is you receive a concise explanation of each warning without needing to take your eyes off the road to look at the screen. However, the spoken warning sometimes sounds muffled and distorted – the internal speaker has trouble overcoming road noise, the car radio and talking passengers. A larger remote-mounted speaker would improve the situation (although this would take the unit more difficult to move from vehicle to vehicle).

The unit did a good job of warning about blackspots and red light cameras. Note that there is no warning of mobile speed cameras. However, we did catch the Road Angel 2 out on a few occasions. It didn’t give blackspot warning when approaching Adelaide’s notorious Britannia roundabout – one of the State’s biggest hazard areas. On the other hand, it sometimes gave unnecessary warnings. For example, when approaching a road that runs parallel to the train line, the unit warned of a train crossing ahead. There isn't one...

As mentioned in our initial test of the original Road Angel, the system is only as good as the safety data it contains – and some of that data is patchy when away from main roads. Blackspots that aren’t automatically recognised can be manually stored into the unit, but chances are you won’t need a warning the second time you drive through the area.

The existing safety data (called Road Sense data) is apparently "continuously updated by a staff of trained professionals." The unit comes pre-programmed with up-to-date data and subsequent updates are available to download on-line (using a supplied USB cable). This is a relatively simple exercise but product registration takes one full working day for validation.

The Road Angel 2 is a well built and well backed device that feels tough and durable. The User Guide states that the unit has an operating range up to 70 degrees Celsius and can be stored at up to 85 degrees Celsius – a marked improvement over the marginal 60 degree Celsius rating of the original Road Angel. The unit comes complete with all necessary leads, mounts, comprehensive instructions and a 6 month subscription to Road Sense data. Subsequent data is available for AUD$69 per year. A one year limited warranty is included.

At the time of writing, the Road Angel 2 is selling for AUD$999 which is just 4 dollars more than the original unit in 2003. On this basis, it’s a good buy – but there are now some much cheaper options.

The Uniden GPS301 sells for as little as AUD$289 and the original Road Angel (now known as Road Angel Classic) is available for AUD$499. It’s clear that the Road Angel 2 has some tough competition...

If you regularly drive on unfamiliar roads and highly value the Road Angel 2’s large display and voice warning, it’s worth a look.

The Road Angel 2 was loaned for this review by Sentinel Geo Systems Pty Ltd.

http://www.roadangel.com.au

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