Posts Tagged ‘Navigation System’

Automotive Navigation System Making Driving Less Stressful

Tuesday, September 16th, 2008
Automotive Services
George Wood asked:


Driving has become a lot easier with the introduction of automotive navigation system. Now you do not have to worry while you drive because this system makes sure that you reach your desired destination without wandering aimlessly. It was first designed by Honda in 1983 but an accelerometer was used along with to judge locations as GPS was not available then. The commonly used navigation systems today are Garmin Street Pilot, Navman iCN Series, Etak, Gizmondo, Hertz Neverlost, Nextel TeleNav, Tom Tom and Pioneer.

It is a navigation system which is used especially in automobiles and help in determining their position with the help of signals from satellites. Automotive navigation system uses the technology on GPS, though it differs from other GPS systems in using position data to locate the vehicle on the units map database.

The essential components of a navigation system are top view for the map with the map rotating like the automobile (the most important component), next curves birds eye-view, to ensure your safety; linear distance gauge, and distance numbers.

The navigation system uses a road data base that contains all the names and addresses of the particular area encoded as geographical coordinates. The information gets updated via the internet as one move from one place to another. Basically it contains a vector map of the area with the help of which it becomes easy to locate someone just by their name or address.

The database used in this system can be stored easily on a magnetic media like hard disk, on a read only memory which comes programmed form the factory or an optical media like CD or DVD. Mostly base map is stored permanently in the ROM and it is accordingly used to extract detailed information about the region in which the user is interested. A combination of all these can also be used.

The first GPS based automotive navigation system was claimed to be developed by Pioneer in 1990.This navigation system helps in finding the location of the vehicle, but in addition to that they offer several other advantages like they give information regarding nearby restaurants, gas stations or cash machine. They can be used to view your favorite TV show or DVD since they use LCD screens. SMS messaging and hands free talking is also possible on some of the advanced systems. These systems also keep one updated about the traffic jams and suggest alternative routes to avoid these jams.

The base maps are created by map vendors like Tele Atlas and NAVTEQ in a standard format GDF. But later they are changed in an optimized format by the electronics manufacturer, which are then used in the navigation system. The format used is uniformly proprietary; as there is no standard for satellite navigation maps.

The automotive navigation system provides excellent services and that is the reason that its demand is increasing all over the world.



Kathryn

Abi Research Predicts New Technology Advances Will Drive Automotive Head-up Displays to $400 Million by 2012

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008
Automotive Services
Iver Penn asked:


It used to be that all that really mattered when it came to having cars is that they can get you to where you are going in one piece. Now it’s not just about whether those GMC Sierra parts are going to hold up on the road, but if the car is going to keep you entertained and how, or how many gadgetries are there to make driving easier and more convenient.

The continuous rise in the development of features and applications in cars has led to concerns about information overload and distracted drivers. Entertainment choices, as well as status information and navigation instructions, are pulling drivers’ attention away from the basic task of driving. How many times have we heard about cars getting into accidents because the driver got distracted manning the car’s navigation system rather than looking on the road?

But it appears that there are already steps being taken to solve potential distraction causes like these.

According to a new Research Brief from ABI Research, a head-up display solution – that displays key information in the driver’s line of sight, reducing the need to look away from the road ahead — are now available in growing numbers, and will comprise a $400 million market by 2012.

New HUD options from BMW and Citroën are expected to generate interest in a market until now dominated by GM, with Toyota and Honda waiting in the wings with their own versions.

Tier One suppliers like Delphi, Denso, Siemens VDO, and Nippon Seiki will capitalize on this market if they continue to develop attractive HUD solutions for their OEM customers, solutions that require less dashboard real estate without increasing cost. ABI Research is also looking at rapidly maturing technologies from new vendors that may eventually challenge the leaders even in this relatively new industry.

The first head-up displays appeared in the 1980s but failed to impress the consumer as hoped with its limited functionality, lack of clarity, insufficient brightness, and less-than-stellar reliability.

About ABI Research

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, ABI Research maintains global operations supporting annual research programs, intelligence services, and market reports in broadband and multimedia, RFID and M2M, wireless connectivity, mobile wireless, transportation, and emerging technologies. The new ABI Research Brief, “Head-Up Displays” examines the forces pushing growth in the market, including demand for advanced features and the newest technology. It offers market analysis in four world regions as well as aggregate shipments, and forms part of two ABI Research Services, Driver Assistance Systems and Automotive Electronics, which include Research Reports, ABI Insights, and analyst inquiry support.



Jerome