Imagine yourself driving down a packed interstate highway one stormy night, totally
unfamiliar with your surroundings. Other cars zing past on both sides blaring their
horns and you just realise you were supposed to take the third exit on the left
- the one you just passed. Damn it! You've just cost yourself another 10 minutes
in travelling time and the fuel gauge doesn't look like it'll take you to the next
fill-up point. Perfect.
But life can be easier now thanks to the CARiN navigation system. It's like having
a road genius in the car, except it won't moan or complain that it needs to go to
the toilet. It really does do everything a driver could possibly ask from a navigator
and more. Whether you're planning to take the fastest route home or you're venturing
into unknown terra firma it is simply unbeatable.
So What Is CARiN?
CARiN stands for CAR information and Navigation,and represents
the latest in driver-operated in-car technology since the MiniDisc. Like the now
common GPS (Global Positioning System), CARiN also relies on a 1,575.42 MHz signal
received from orbiting satellites - up to eight at any one time. In addition, it
also uses a "dead reckoning" system of location, whereby a piezo gyroscope
(which is basically a G-sensor), speedometer and a reversing input is fed into the
main computer.
Combining this data with a separate up-datable CD-ROM database enables the system to know exactly (within 15 metres) where you are at all times (which is the hardest part, since the destination rarely moves!). And because CARiN doesn't totally rely on satellite tracking, even driving under a tunnel that's out of coverage, doing a U-turn and exiting the way you came won't fool the system.
The second major part of the equation - the destination - is determined by the
CD-ROM interface, which stores road network data. The extent of this coverage in
Australia is approximately 75% of the population, however this coverage is increasing
steadily, which means it's a good idea to maintain the current CD-ROM information
at all times. (Other countries and cities around the world are at various stages
of coverage, so check out what's relevant to you before purchasing a unit.) In Australia,
the current CD has been updated twice so far - new updates appear about every six
months.
The third important component of information needed in getting from A to B is
the appropriate route. To determine this, information stored in the on-board CD-ROM
is accessed to tell you the where to go; all road network information is stored
in the CD-ROM.
Using CARiN
One really tricky feature of CARiN is its ability to give you a choice of different
"optimum" routes to your destination - you can specify optimal travel
time, travel distance, along main roads or along secondary roads. The choice is
yours. So if you're about to head out into peak hour traffic, you might want to
opt for the optimised travel time route, since taking the most direct route might
take for ever. Should you change your mind on-route, an 'alternative route function'
can plot another path for you. On the other hand, if you want to fang along more
private roads, the "along secondary roads" optimisation might be good.
When specific places of interest are being sought - such as when travelling -
CARiN also has the ability to tell you how to get to railway stations, airports,
car parks, city centres and more. You can store up to 100 address locations, as
well as the last 10 destinations in the temporary memory. Up to 25 destinations
can be preset at the beginning of any one journey, which is perfect for people making
deliveries etc. It could potentially save you a lot of time and money! Interfacing
with the Yellow Pages business directory is coming - that's where you simply punch
in a buniess and the system directs you to it!
While driving, the CARiN system lets you know where you need to go by giving
both audio and visual information. A calm human voice (selectable either male or
female!) is used to tell the driver road information in real-time, and with enough
time for him/her to react to instructions. For example, while on-route, the voice
might tell you there's a left turn ahead, in plenty of time to position the car
in the correct turning lane. Once you have reached 100m of the turn, CARiN will
then tell you that the turn is 100 metres on the left, and you'll have sufficient
notice to spot where the turn is. It's easy. And when you're travelling extra fast,
it also tells you messages sooner than normal - ahh, perfect!
However in more difficult driving situations, such as multi-lane roundabouts,
it will also give you a detailed description of which branch to take. It also tells
you when you need to stay left and lets you know what to do in any of those road
black spots. Finally, upon reaching your destination, CARiN also tells you "you
have arrived"... There is also the visual information display that can be viewed
at any time on-route. The lower-spec 420 and 440 models come with a pictogram display
only, while the top-line 520 model gets this plus a full backlit LCD screen.
The common pictogram gives simple but effective arrow guidance, with the relevant
distance information displayed immediately alongside. To give you an idea, its left/right
signals are a little like those of a professional rally navigator.
The full screen 520 model has this pictogram mode, plus a full colour LCD plan
view of the surrounding road network and destinations nearby. This map is also scalable
from 100 metres to 100 kilometres, which gives the resolution flexibility needed
when traveling from the heart of a city to the open road. Another practical feature
of the system is its ability to identify which roads have a median strip, and where
the breaks in it are. This is a big plus for when you want to turn across a busy
road.
CARiN's Family
At present there are three versions of the CARiN system available - the 420,
440 and 520 model - and each of these uses the same SY059 navigation computer. In
Australia, they also all come with a current Whereis TM
street map CD-ROM included.
The satellite transmission receiver used for locating the vehicle is a small,
unobtrusive plastic device similar in appearance to a computer mouse, measuring
approximately 2cm square. This is mounted on the dash or the rear parcel shelf of
most cars. As an option, you can also wire in an audio system mute, an additional
loudspeaker and there is also the capability for external audio system reproduction.
The entry-level 420 is a navigation radio/cassette package that comes with pictogram
and verbal navigation, full logic cassette player with music search, digital tuner
and CD changer control. It has a speed dependent volume control that is also linked
to a telephone input, plus there is a hinged detachable front panel with a warning
light for theft protection. Its audio output is 35 Watts x 4, with 4 RCA outputs
and 2 RCA line-ins. An infrared remote control, with its own docking station, is
an optional extra.
The 440 Navigation CD Tuner package is identical the 402 model, except it replaces
the cassette player function with an in-built single CD player. It also scores an
interactive multi-function dot matrix display, which includes automatic light sensor
adjustment.
At the top of the CARiN range is the 520 fully-featured colour navigation system.
This baby gives you by far the most flexible navigation control. It gives directions
and information on a full colour screen (of TV quality) with detailed, scalable
maps and can be zoomed in or out to provide the desired level of detail. There are
six day and night background colours with comprehensive user adjustment and an emergency
screen with position reference. It possesses clear and fast route programming and
precision guidance with complete information about the route. The 520 has a 100
address personal memory, the capability of routing via 25 different destination
points and a built-in loudspeaker to deliver clear verbal instructions - in any
one of 7 different languages! The remote control with docking station comes as standard.
Note though, that this system doesn't incorporate any tuner or audio components
but it does have a single NTSC video input.
The systems cost between around A$3500 and A$4495 plus fitting (at around A$300).
Fitting takes around six hours, and the exact price will depend on whether or not
you specify any options or fancy links to external audio equipment. Please note
though that one of the big factors affecting how effective the system will be in
your area is how advanced the CD-ROM data is. In countries that have had the system
for a while (like most parts of Europe), the road network has been completely covered
on the CD-ROM, while others are still in their infancy.
CARiN's Future
We guarantee you that in-car navigation isn't just a passing fad. As this in-car
navigation development rolls on, it will become likely that such systems will become
even more common in the cars of the near future. You can bet that if leading car
manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, BMW and Holden (and Hyundai) are fitting this
equipment to their optioned-up vehicles, other manufacturers will follow suit eventually.
We've been told that although it was actually Philips Car Systems that developed
the system, Mannesman VDO is currently a joint owner of the product and is rumoured
to fully take over the reign soon. The reasoning behind this, we're told, is that
car manufacturers want to source parts from as few suppliers as possible. Therefore
since VDO are leaders in OEM gauges, it seems logical that they become the navigation
product supplier to car manufacturers as well.
So ride the crest of this new wave of automotive technology and get in early.
If you intend using the system for work purposes, it'll make a nice tax deduction
too!
Links
See the CARiN websites at www.carin.com and
www.carin.com.au
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