Let’s face it, a lot of us do some pretty dodgy stuff when it comes to finding our way on unknown roads, with most of us relying on the maps displayed on iPhone in our laps to get us from A – B. However just as there is a time when you have to stop drinking Cruisers and graduate to beer or wine, there also comes a time when you have to bite the bullet and upgrade from your phone to a proper GPS device – if not for yourself, but for the many pedestrians you’re putting in danger whilst staring at your crotch. If that still isn’t enough to convince you, just think of all the precious data you are soaking up.
In addition to this, if you’re a P1 driver in NSW you should seriously consider making the change. New laws introduced in NSW means learners and P1 licence holders are now no longer permitted to use a mobile phone at all while driving. This includes when waiting in traffic lights or stuck in traffics. That means no quickly quitting maps whilst at a red light.
When it comes to choosing a GPS device or dashcam for your car, Navman are doing some pretty cool stuff. They just released their new 2016 range and there is a lot to like about their new features, the most appealing of which are probably those involved in incident recording and catching evidence. Firstly there is the G-shock sensor found on all the devices that records the direction and speed of impact giving you the information you need to make a claim or protect yourself against a fraudulent claim. Then there is the Event Recording Mode: This feature means that when the MiVUE detects sudden changes in motion or an impact, the recorder instantly saves a protected video of the event for future analysis. Navman’s new optimal glass optics means that with the MIVUE680, ‘690 Safe and ‘698 Dual Camera these videos will be recorded in Super 2k Full HD.
The new models also include a range of alerts, however the most exciting of which is probably the Safety Camera Alert that features on the MIVUE680, ‘690 Safe and the ‘698 Dual Cameras: This feature informs you of upcoming fixed speed camera locations and alerts you when you are within a 200m radius – potentially saving you from an unwanted letter in the mail.
The MIVUE690 Safe and the MIVUE698 Dual Camera also boast some really handy features if you’re driving in bumper to bumper traffic. The ADAS Safety Features include a forward collision warning – alerting you when you are driving too close to the car in front of you, and also a front departure warning – which informs you when the car in front of you begins to move off without you noticing (that way you don’t get some idiot beeping you when you don’t accelerate out of the blocks as if you’re Lewis Hamilton).
There are a lot of other new features found on the higher quality Navmans and dashcams such as voice destination entry, live traffic updates, driver fatigue alerts and optimised day/night recording – obviously you are going to get more of these with the more you spend, but in the long run it’s probably worth it. Of course, if you are just that P plater who is trying avoid losing 4 demerit points, there are some more simpler models like the MOVE70LM that will assist you in finding the closest McDonalds incident free.
The new Navman range has already hit the shelves and is available now.
