| The automobile has been changing for decades | | | | vehicles and can also show the traffic |
| now. As technology advances, so does the | | | | situation on the road ahead making it easy |
| number of advanced features used on | | | | for drivers to plot their course to avoid |
| automobiles. Today's vehicles are now | | | | traffic-congested roads. All these systems |
| equipped with technologically advanced | | | | rely on satellite Global Positioning System |
| features designed to make new vehicles safer | | | | or GPS to operate effectively. |
| and easier to drive compared to the vehicles | | | | |
| of yesteryears. And just recently, another | | | | Today, there are two broad categories when it |
| breakthrough was made in connection with | | | | comes to navigation systems. These are urban |
| automotive technologies. | | | | and off-road. Urban navigation systems are |
| | | | those displaying data like street banes, city |
| Columbus Geographic System Ltd. announced | | | | names and are called based on vectors. |
| recently that they are in the process of | | | | Off-road maps on the other hand are |
| developing a first-in-the-world technology. | | | | essentially scanned maps. |
| This particular navigation system will | | | | |
| display not only urban maps but also off-road | | | | Columbus' navigation system being developed |
| maps too without the consumer having to | | | | put a lot of focus on the off-road driving |
| choose a different software or memory card. | | | | environment. But this navigation system |
| When launched in the market, it is expected | | | | called the Ranger will not only display |
| to be well-received by consumers who have | | | | off-road maps but also urban maps. According |
| been educated on the benefits of a good | | | | to the company, aerial maps will be provided |
| navigation system. | | | | by the software to the driver to guide him or |
| | | | her through urban or off-road environments. |
| Navigation systems are software designed | | | | The company is expecting to have the new |
| specifically to give drivers different | | | | software ready by the first quarter of 2008. |
| information that they might need while | | | | No price is set yet for the navigation system |
| driving through unfamiliar streets. These | | | | but it will certainly cost more than an Acura |
| systems can pinpoint the location of their | | | | CL A/C receiver drier. |