Well, it uses a GPS unit to help you find where you want to go. For example this could be a street, a restaurant, or a service station.
Any GPS can do this if you know the coordinates of the destination. But the ideal unit for a vehicle and for most users, is one that has a built-in map so you do not need to know the destination coordinates. In this case, the GPS knows the coordinates, you just need to tell it what you are looking for.
Firstly, the GPS calculates your exact position on earth (to less than 10 metres normally). It then pinpoints that position on the electronic map display.
From that position, the GPS can calculate the direction, and the distance to any other point on the map which you choose from the Find function. If the electronic map is smart enough, the map may include details such as the location of restaurants, individual streets and other features. If both the GPS and mapping are smart enough, the GPS can calculate directions street-by-street, and tell you where to turn.
What do I see on the GPS?
It automatically starts on a map page, which shows your position as a triangle or other symbol (position icon), and the road you are on, and other roads around you. This position should show up within a minute of your starting the vehicle. As your vehicle moves, the position icon stays in the middle of the GPS screen, but the road slides along underneath you. In fact, the whole map slides along, or moves underneath you. This is why it is called a "moving map". Everything on the map is to scale, just like a street directory in book form. Most modern units will also show you a 3D view which shows you where you are going from your perspective including terrain so you can see where the hills are. So people find this view easier to relate to as the streets will show up in the same direction as where they are looking.
Now I know where I am, how do I get where I want to be?
A "Find" button, or "Find" menu on the GPS screen, means you can choose a destination, such as a town, or a street and number, or even an ATM, post office, bank, or parking station. The GPS draws a line on the map page, from your position, to the destination. Dedicated in-car navigators calculate the line street by street, and then translate through speakers to give you voice-guided navigation. The GPS takes many factors into account when calculating how to get to your destination. Current street mapping includes information on the average speed of roads, one-way streets, median strips and traffic lights. The advanced algorithms are even set up to prefer left turns to right turns! Of course the default way the GPS calculates to go may not be the way you want to go, so there are many options you can set depending on your driving preference. Avoiding toll roads, choosing between the fastest, shortest or most fuel efficient route and avoiding U-turns are just some of the settings you can change.
While know what street to turn into is all very well, this doesn’t help if you are 2 lanes over in heavy traffic. This is why a unit with lane guidance is particularly useful. These units will show you on screen which lane or lanes you need to be in and some of the more advanced models will even give you a photo realistic view of the more complicated intersections with clear arrows displaying exactly where you need to go.
What do we mean by "smart" mapping?
Smart
** mapping has links between the map, and related information which is also stored in the GPS unit. For example, if the GPS position shows you on a road, then the "smart" mapping can display a label with the road name. Or it may display nearby points, such as an ATM, a service station, or a hotel. As you can guess, there are varying degrees of "smart". In Australia, we do have the type of mapping data required for really "smart" in-car navigation. Specialized companies in Australia, including "Whereis Navigation", a Telstra subsidiary, are supplying the smart mapping for the Garmin and other map type GPS units. This data is also used by larger companies, who run sophisticated vehicle tracking systems, so they see positions on a computer map back in an office. This same data is also used in the built in satellite navigation found in luxury vehicles – of course you are paying a luxury price for the same map!
So what can I get now, that's not going to cost me an arm and a leg?
Most mapping capable units on the market, handhelds, bike-mounted, and for use in a vehicle are sophisticated units which can calculate either the shortest or quickest route, and guide you turn by turn. They are compatible with street level smart mapping for all Australian roads, tracks and streets. The real difference is whether they talk to you or not. Handhelds such as the
Garmin Dakota 10, or the
Edge 705 display route details on screen if you pourchase optional mapping, but do not provide "voice" for navigation. These are very convenient for the light traveller and as an in-car unit, by clipping in to a holder. Units for in-car navigation, are supplied with mapping, and give you voice instruction as well as display the route. The Garmin Nuvi series
in a small screen, and the
Zumo for motor bikes, are very reasonably priced.
TomTom and
Navman also supply similar models. The "voice" on many units actually mention the street name when talking, "300 metres ahead, turn left into Rowton Street" , or "keep right, and enter ramp to freeway", and so on.
Top of the line units such as the
Nuvi 3790T also take account of real-time traffic conditions along the calculated route, and offer additional features. Johnny Appleseed GPS, can be reached on
1800 477 477 to get advice on a suitable unit for next trip, and after your purchase, receive help with any problems you may have (which is not likely, they are pretty simple once you understand the concept).
Does the GPS require any installation?
Absolutely not. Units designed for use in a car come standard with a windscreen suction mount and a 12v cigarette lighter cable and are ready to go out of the box. We also stock a large range of alternate mounts for most units such as a bag type car mount, which sticks to, or sits on, the dashboard. We even keep heavy duty screw down mounts if you have to drive on really rough roads or off-road.
Modern GPSs units all come with high-sensitivity antennas which means that reception isn't a problem in difficult conditions such as in the city around tall buildings. Even the metallic windscreens found in some European cars such as Peugeots, Citroens and Renaults are no longer a problem.
** Another word for smart mapping, is vector data. This means that the map skeleton is stored as a series of points, and related information, in computer memory. During operation, the stored information is restored graphically to look like a map with labels that are context sensitive. The labels show only when relative to your current location.