| Like all new technology when it first reaches the | | | | deal which would see low-cost sat navs included |
| market, early consumer satellite navigation | | | | with the car radio, whilst other major GPS |
| devices were incredibly bulky, very expensive and | | | | manufacturers are likely to become more |
| more than a little unresponsive but today it is a | | | | involved in providing units to motor manufacturers |
| very different story; many sat nav units are | | | | in future. |
| lightweight, respond much quicker and most | | | | But while the first sat navs that came to market |
| importantly are far cheaper. In little more than | | | | were quite expensive, in recent times the price of |
| five years sat nav directional units have gone | | | | such devices has significantly reduced. Dependent |
| from being an expensive luxury gadget owned by | | | | upon how much of the world needs to be |
| the privileged few, to a widely owned device that | | | | accessed and how many satellite navigation |
| tops the car accessory popularity charts. | | | | features need to be utilised, that type of unit is |
| Sat nav devices are available for mounting on or | | | | usually sufficient for the majority of UK drivers. |
| incorporated into car dashboards, or as portable | | | | Obviously, if you frequently travel throughout the |
| handheld devices. GPS (Global Positioning System) | | | | world perhaps a top-price handheld sat nav device |
| satellite navigation is now even integrated into | | | | may be appropriate for you than a cheap sat nav |
| smart phones, although the absence of a spoken | | | | unit. |
| voice to give directions means those devices can't | | | | But regardless of its sophistication, using a sat nav |
| be used by drivers. | | | | couldn't be easier, especially the touch screen |
| However, the widespread use of such GPS | | | | versions; even the biggest of technophobes can |
| devices is making the use of printed maps | | | | easily learn how to use them. Indeed, with clear |
| redundant, as more and more people rely on sat | | | | voice instructions and easy destination |
| nav devices to get them from A to B. It is | | | | programming being provided, for most people sat |
| predicted that, once motor manufacturers | | | | navs are even easier to understand than the |
| recover from the dire economic straits that they | | | | traditional alternative of map reading. |
| currently find themselves in, sat navs will be | | | | If you haven't got an in-car sat nav system yet it |
| offered as a low-cost optional extra or even | | | | will only be a matter of time before you finally |
| fitted as standard in many models. Indeed, already | | | | succumb, or alternatively you find it fitted as |
| car manufacturers are talking about a possible | | | | standard in the next vehicle you buy. |