Collision Repair Center Observations: The Rise of On-Board Navigation

It seems like nowadays most cars that go through any one of our collision repair centers have some form of on-board navigation on them. It’s one of many vehicle enhancements that have become very popular in automobiles. The reason for that is very clear: On-Board Navigation gets you places more efficiently. They’re usually worth the extra money, as avoiding lengthy detours and wrong turns can save gas, and gas prices won’t stay shockingly low for long. The funny thing is that despite on-board navigation seeming like a relatively new technology for automobiles, it has actually be around for years. The 1980 Toyota Crown included the first electronic compass for an automobile, which helped drivers figure out which direction they were going. While living just to the west of the towering Rockies makes that problem non-existent in Denver, it was useful practically anywhere else.

Since the electronic compass, there have been numerous improvements to navigation systems. With the power of global positioning systems and a more precisely mapped Earth, navigation technologies have become very useful. Today, navigation systems include more than vocalized directions. You can find out if there is significant traffic on your commute, and if there is a more feasible alternative route to get you home faster. Many automobile navigation systems even include phone directories so that you can call a location as you are searching for it on your on-board computer. Finally, the computers are always aware of your current location, adapting the directions if you happen to take a wrong turn. Simply put, you really cannot get lost with modern on-board navigation systems in vehicles.

So what’s the future of this technology?

Some higher-end cars have begun to include more real-time data with their computers. Some more luxury features include: parking lot prices and current capacities, nearby public transportation lines and prices, and any weather alerts or broadcasts that may be relevant to your drive. But these features pale in comparison of what’s to come. Manufacturers today are experimenting with including such features as: locating nearby points of interest, pinpointing any well-known speed traps and speed cameras, more reliable on-board security systems to help triangulate the location of the car in the event of a theft, and much more. On-board navigation has become so common, the question of whether your car includes it will be less important than what features it is likely to support. The future may even be cars that not only find directions to a location, but can drive itself there as well. The future truly is an exciting place for automobiles today.

How To Use This Information

Accidents are never fun, and statistics have shown that anxious or stressed drivers are significantly more likely to get into an accident. With the aid of on-board navigation systems, people can be less stressed as they get to their destination. While there will always be some kinks to work out, the new technology has aided with limiting the number of accidents by keeping drivers relaxed. However, no matter how advanced, accidents are always a possibility. Thus, it is important to know that in the event you do get into an accident, you have a collision repair center you can trust. For more information on our services, please visit our website, or contact us at (303) 344-2212.