Is NAVTEQ developing Sat Nag technology?

Davey Winder
Tuesday, 28 October 2008 17:47

Your IT - Home IT

Nobody likes a back seat driver telling you to slow down or change gear. Nobody really likes that annoying satnav woman telling you where to go. Now the two could be combined to produce a sat nag system.

My wife recently bought me a great little toy called the Sat-Nag. It looks just like a real satnav unit, and even displays a full colour 3D map. However, touch a button and satnav woman tells you such things as "In 100 meters I'm going to talk to you in that special voice, which should let you know you've upset me in some way that is bound to be your fault".

Other favourites of mine include "In 50 meters I'm going to put on my most annoying voice and say 'Is your short cut really faster when we get stuck in traffic like this, well, is it darling?" and "I know you're a man, but it's been 35 minutes now, so can you please admit you're lost and ask someone the way."

All hugely amusing because it is a toy. Unfortunately, it looks like the joke could soon be on me because sat nag systems are set to become a reality. Nokia owned digital mapping data provider NAVTEQ has been developing an all too real Sat Nag in the form of the Advanced Driver Assistance System.

ADAS utilises a unique Map and Positioning Engine reference solution. NAVTEQ maps are already used in multiple ADAS systems and we are in development with a range of companies worldwide. "We are currently working with Mio and Navman in Australia" a spokesperson told us.

In fact, NAVTEQ works with navigation system manufacturers, automotive manufacturers and other players in this space to help define and shape what map-enhanced ADAS can deliver. This year alone it has added three new categories of attributes.

These are, the NAVTEQ spokesperson informs us "speed limits, curvature and absolute height, all of which will enhance ADAS functionality." All of which could also nag the heck out of you if you drive too fast or corner dangerously.

I am not convinced by the concept of the 3D map which moves ahead of the current mapping technology to deliver an easy to understand interpretation of road gradients, widths and even obstacles. Surely looking out the windscreen at the road ahead is much a better safety option than looking at your satnav for such information?

That said, if it knows the width of my vehicle and the width of the road ahead and can stop sending me down totally unsuitable country lanes by doing more than just providing supposedly up to date maps then that has to be worth waiting for.

Not so the idea of my sat nag telling me I am a bad driver. That I do not need, as I mentioned right at the start of all this I am married you see...