June/July 2007

Real-world road speeds are now consulted when you request routes via the SmartNav navigation system from TrafficMaster.

The company says that previously its system worked like other typical satnav products, calculating travel times on the basis of generic road speed data overlaid on digital maps. Now, however, it draws on 50 billion pieces of data gathered from 15 million real driver trips. The company says its data pool of real-world speeds covers every mile of classified metalled road in the UK.

SmartNav is already unlike most other satnav systems, in that users wanting route guidance call up a 24-hour contact centre, using a 'red button' on the dedicated in-vehicle SmartNav unit. A staff member then creates the route, which is downloaded to the vehicle, along with turn-by-turn instructions. You can include visual guidance if you also specify the optional touch-screen unit.

The basic subscription is £9.99 a month, and there are various other options such as stolen vehicle tracking.