Sat navs get smarter: Garmin focuses on ‘driver awareness’

Garmin has launched a new line of Sat Navs with a focus on ‘driver awareness’, keeping users informed of hazards they may not have spotted yet.

Ranging in price from £99.99 to £299.99, the ‘Garmin Drive’ products start with the basic model that includes pre-loaded data for restaurants, stores, and other points of interest from Foursquare.

It also includes spoken navigation directions that guide users by referencing easy to spot landmarks like buildings or traffic lights.

Moving up a tier, the Garmin DriveSmart adds smartphone connectivity so drivers can get call and text message notifications right on the navigator’s touchscreen, use it as a Bluetooth speakerphone to answer or place calls, and get real-time traffic and weather updates through a Garmin app that mooches data from their mobile device.

The next range Garmin DriveAssist adds a dash cam with a built-in microSD-based DVR for recording incidents on the road. In the event of an accident, the sat nav will detect the impact and automatically save the footage leading up to the collision.

The camera is also used to keep an eye on stopped traffic ahead of the vehicle, reminding them when it gets going again if they get distracted.

When a user arrives at their destination, a live video feed will pop-up on screen with arrows pointing at thier exact destination.

The top range Garmin DriveLuxe includes a forged metal housing so it won’t look out of place when mounted in a luxury vehicle with a high-end interior.

“The most exciting development of the new Garmin Drive line is that driver awareness features typically seen in luxury vehicles are now accessible as an aftermarket solution for all drivers,” said Kirsty Quartley, Garmin UK PND Product Manager. “There are many distractions that drivers encounter while running errands, driving to work or taking road trips. These new driver alerts can remove some of these burdens and help drivers stay aware on the road.”

All Garmin Drive devices can be paired with the Garmin BC™ 30 Wireless Backup Camera (sold separately) to easily see behind a vehicle when moving in reverse. Garmin Drive devices may also be paired with the new Garmin babyCam™ in-vehicle video monitor (sold separately).

The Garmin Drive lineup has models in different display sizes with various map regions and navigation features. Suggested retail prices range from £99.99 to £299.99.

The Garmin Drive product line is the latest from Garmin’s consumer automotive segment, the leading worldwide provider of portable navigation devices for cars, motorcycles and trucks.

Garmin’s user-friendly navigation solutions have innovative features that provide time- and fuel-saving benefits to meet the demands of everyday driving.

The Garmin Drive range is expected to be available in the UK and Ireland from late March 2016 and RRPs will be £99.99 – £299.99.