You’ll Never Get Lost Again

by Bob Cerullo

(Reprinted with permission from Parade magazine 01/25/98)

Getting lost is frustrating, annoying, time consuming, fuel wasting and may even contribute to dangerous driver fatigue and marital problems. Road maps help, but they’re awkward and hard to read. Now, thanks to new onboard navigation technology for cars, driving in the wrong direction is a thing of the past. In a recent study, consumers rated onboard navigation systems among the top five new automotive technologies. Read on to see what’s available:

Oldsmobile Guidestar

The Guidestar System has a 4-inch liquid crystal display (LCD) color screen and seven key panels mounted on a bracket within reach of the driver and the front-seat passenger. A Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna is mounted on the rear package shelf and wired to the display screen and the onboard computer, which is in the trunk. The GPS is linked to orbiting satellites. A database cartridge with software and mapping information is preinstalled in the computer.

The driver enters an address by pressing buttons on the display panel. The destination can include a street, road intersection, freeway entrance or a tri planned from another destination. A choice of “Shortest Time Route,” “Use Freeways” or “Avoid Freeways” may be selected. The screen then displays a color map with a highlighted route. At the touch of a button, the display changes to a route-guidance mode, which indicates the next turn and the distance to it.

The onboard computer contains thousands of destinations, including airports, banks, hospital and emergency services stored on compact discs or data cartridges. The driver s guided to the chosen destination by voice commands and visual symbols. Guidestar is available as a dealer-installed option on all Oldsmoble 88s, the LSS and the Bravada. Prices range up to $2500 installed.

Acura Navigation System

Acura’s flagship luxury sedan, the 3.5RL, uses GPS satellites, electro gyros and sophisticated software with an onboard computer. The system has a 6-inch color LCD touch screen in the console. There are push buttons and a joystick. The driver may enter an address or intersecting streets, choose a position on the map display or enter other information for route guidance. A color map displays the car’s position. The system can be updated by Acura dealers. It is available as a $2000 option on the Acura 3.5RL only.

BMW Navigation System

BMW offers factory-installed system for 5 and 7 series BMWs, as well as dealer-installed systems for any older BMWs. The system display is a 6-inch color LCD screen tat uses a control knob to allow the driver to put in destinations and routes. The computer displays the route on the screen, and voice commands tell when to turn. The scale of the map can be adjusted for a tight close-up or more overviews of your location. On models equipped with a cell phone, the system can calculate the vehicle’s location and show it on the monitor in an emergency while at the same time placing a call to BMW roadside assistance or 911. It costs about $2500.

The OnStar System

First introduced on Cadillacs last year, the system (which does not include a display screen) is now available n other GM models. OnStar centers around a GPS that tracks a car’s position. If a driver is lost, he can press the green “OC” (OnStar Center) button on a cell phone to talk to a live adviser. The adviser then pinpoints the car’s position and gives directions. If the car is in an accident and he air bags deploy, the adviser will try to talk to the driver on the cell phone. If there is no answer, the adviser will dispatch police and emergency help o the site. OnStar costs less than $1000.

Lincoln RESCU

The RESCU system on the Lincoln Continental provides road assistance, police, fire and medical aid at the touch of a button. The driver can talk to an adviser by phone for route assistance. Factory- installed, the system costs about $2500.

Magellan’s PathMaster Vehicle Navigation System

PathMaster uses dead reckoning and map matching to locate the vehicle, and visual and voice assistance to guide the driver. The system has a color screen that mounts between the passenger and driver’s compartment, a central processing unit, a direction sensor, a satellite receiver and an antenna. PathMaster is about $2225 from Magellan retailers, auto stores and car dealers.

A System for Almost Any Car

Alpine Electronics offers a GPS that can be installed in the dash or free-mounted on almost any car. The user can select an address, intersection, place name, place type or any destination stored in the computer’s address book. Prices for the Alpine systems run under $2000. After-market installed systems also are available from Philips Magnavox, Delphi Delco, Clarion, Sony and others.

How Navigation Systems Work

You’re driving around lost. A navigation system puts your car in direct communication with the Global Positioning System (GPS), linked to orbiting satellites. The onboard computer finds your car through signals received from the GPS.

• Enter the location of you destination by pressing button on the display panel.
• The computer displays your position on a TV-like color screen with a highlighted route.
• At the touch of a button, the screen indicates the next turn and the distance to it.
• With some systems, you can use a cell phone to call a live adviser, who then gives you route assistance—and emergency help, if needed.