One direction (according to the GPS)
This week, our ace visuals man, Richard Cosgrove puts some affordable GPS devices through their paces, one of which comes with a forward-facing camera as part of the package.
I’LL tell you right from the start, GPS navigation systems are a marriage saver. As our cities change and expand an up-to-date guide for navigating this quagmire is essential. Anyone who wants a trouble free trip without any navigation issues should have one as a matter of course. Over the last six months I have been trialling three GPS systems, two from NavMan and one from TomTom.
I have taken them all off the beaten track to see what inherent safety features are built in to them in relation to road conditions. I have used them extensively on a daily commute to see what options that their algorithms produce compared with old-fashioned dead reckoning.
One of the key benefits of a GPS system is the consistency of use, no matter what vehicle you are driving. On any given day I could drive up to eight different vehicles, ranging from a city runabout Toyota Yaris hatchback to a fully off-road equipped Nissan Navara 4WD. The ability to have a consistent navigation system no matter what I’m driving is not only comforting, but also increases your safety as its familiarity will reduce stress enabling one to concentrate on driving.
Navman Mivue LM – $212* – A dual GPS and dashcam with 120 degree wide angle camera, HD recorder built in with a G shock sensor. It offers the usual spoken safety alerts, speed limit alerts and range of display options for the user.
Navman MY600LMT – $161.81*- This one is a pure GPS with no dashcam but does offer voice destination entry so you can concentrate on driving. It also has spoken safety alerts and speed limits alerts. You can also pair it to your smartphone to use it as a handsfree car kit.
The TomTom Go 50 – $329* – Apart from the standard maps and features this model offers live traffic updates if you pair it with your smartphone via bluetooth so you can route select on the fly to avoid traffic snarl ups.
One question I have been asked is why this way rather than using your smartphone? To answer I would have to say these systems are designed for use in a vehicle, the screens are set up to so you can view, adjust brightness and volume, search through options with one touch or voice commands. In short they are optimised for use in a vehicle . A smartphone will always be a compromise, you will need a cradle to make them legal and if you don’t have a car charger you’re going get into trouble very quickly when the battery runs out. However, I would recommend having the app loaded on your phone as a back-up in case your 2-year-old suddenly decides to do an impression of Poi E with your GPS and renders it unserviceable.
All three systems exhibited a degree of lag, that is sometimes you are through the intersection before it displays on screen, this was worse in urban areas compared with rural areas, but it was minimal in the grand scheme of things. None, however, sent me to the wrong place, but there was one interesting diversion where I wanted to make a right turn from Rosebank Rd to Ash St in Avondale in Auckland. The Navman sent me on a series of lefthand turns around the block back on to Ash St when there was a right-turning lane that I could have used.
This was the worst issue that I encountered and it was a really minor one at that.
All three systems offered an online update service that were easy to use, but are dependant on the providers of information giving them the most up-to-date info, which is why I suspect I went round the block on Rosebank Rd.
THE standout difference between all of these units is the Navman Mivue Drive LT with dashcam. The ability to have an impartial observer that knows exactly where you are and what time can be priceless.
Several times I have stopped and replayed what just happened to see what I thought happened did actually happen.
The stupidity of some drivers on New Zealand’s roads will never cease to amaze me and as dashcams become more prevalent don’t be surprised that if you drive like a muppet, then people will post it on social media.
I won’t recommend one device over the other except when it comes to the dashcam, as pure GPS units all were very easy to use, all found good routes to destinations but I would recommend you try them out so that you are comfortable with the user interface because it will come down to cost and ease of use.
The inclusion of a built-in dashcam like the MiVue is (if you can afford it) a game changer. A dashcam for me equals insurance for the driver. That is why I would
prefer it to a non-dashcam unit.
The prices of these units are the best we could find at the time. There may be offers and specials on any of these units at the retailers who sell them and we’d advise you study the kind of support offered by those retailers if the price appears too good to be true. It pays to shop around, but do check you’re not giving up features like updates and free maps when you do, and ask about compatibility with your main devices. For instance, if you’re working with a company laptop, you may need an administrator to help you go through the process of registering your new GPS or Sat-Nav system in order to make best use of it. – Dave Moore
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