But here's where things get more interesting. Volkswagen
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| Is it the latest Sim City? No, that's the nav screen on VW-Google's new system. (Photo: Volkswagen Canada) |
and Google have figured out a way of getting the Google Earth data onto the in-car navigation screen in a photorealistic 3D manner. Techno-garble aside, this means that what you see out the windows of your car - the horizon, the buildings and landscape surrounding you - is displayed accordingly in 3D graphics, from any angle, all thanks to a new kind of graphics card developed by nVidia. Not only is the idea of being able to see around you extremely cool, but the real advantage is that it gives drivers and passengers inside the car a better sense of orientation and direction.
If
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| Nissan's Birdview has nothing on VW-Google... (Photo: Nissan Canada) |
providing realistic graphics weren't enough, the system has "open end" capabilities which link it to Google's internet search engine through the same on-board telematics that control the navigation system. "Open end" allows the navigation system to provide drivers with valuable data to help plan routes and trips, with the means not only to display road-side rest stops, hotels, shopping centres and tourist's guides, but their hours of operations and any specials or events they may be promoting. The system even has the capability to show the price of fuel at gas stations and the times of movies at theaters, all in real time and on demand. Also, because the system constantly updates itself, unlike a DVD or a CD, you'll never be out of luck when new roads are built or old roads are closed.
Though Volkswagen and Google insist that the new navigation system
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| NissanâE(tm)s Murano is one of the many cars that have the Birdeye navigation system. (Photo: Nissan Canada) |
is just a demonstration, and that the two brands are still developing it, chances are it'll come to market, mind you, it won't be for some time. Everything about the system, from the type of data it uses to the information itself, to the system used to transmit it, to the graphics, are simply beyond the capabilities of today's technology, but the two firms are hard at work developing the goods to make this dream a reality. As far as in-car navigation goes, there's plenty to look forward to with VW-Google's navigation system, for road journeymen (and journeywomen), tech-savvy car fans, and everyday people alike.
