Use Your Mobile While Driving, Let Your Mobile Drive you.
Beta tests are currently being run by Traffic master to introduce Smartphones. With existing hardware already present in most mobile phones, the introduction of this snazzy, if not so new idea has been a long time coming.
The software, known as SmartNav, among various perks and functionality allows you to navigate by talking to an actual person on the other end. This call back to ancient methods is slated to work better and faster as human beings will trump machines any day when it comes to trying to hang a left into a river. Although the test version is only compatible with S60, Blackberry and Windows Mobile, its application is likely to garner widespread appeal over the not so beloved tinny, synthetic voice with matching “global village” accent. Although the exact market of users is unknown, it’s likely that mobile phone navigation will gain popularity with young urbanites who may consider their existing mobile handsets slightly more usable and affordable than the old mounted sat nav.
Usability is also said to be fairly simple. Members call the Trafficmaster personal assistant, who immediately receives their exact GPS co-ordinates. They then tell her where they want to go and the PA uses the system to map out a route. From this point, directions are sent electronically in the form of text messages. Although beta testers are getting to mess around with the system for a cool 3 months free usage, the company plans to charge a monthly stipend for the service and possibly move to a pay-as-you-go option should the need arise.
SmartNav boasts 8000 miles of motorway coverage, including a few byways. Although this doesn’t sound as impressive as the standard Garmin, it does bode well for a company that has run its traffic information service off of some 7500 traffic sensors liberally distributed within the UK. Although Trafficmaster is better known for supplying traffic-related information to fleets and lorry-services, their existing data-base of some 80 000 mobile users makes us hope that the beta testing will result in a system that works as awesomely as it sounds.
As the ongoing battle of traffic officials to try to stamp out driving and phoning continues, this system does present some pertinent questions. Is using your mobile for navigation a fair excuse? If you need to check turn-by-turn texts while driving, at what point will your eyes be on the road?
Related Items
Or, take a look at Archives and Categories
