My ordinary life

TomTom

Sistemele de navigatie independente incep sa fie din ce in ce mai cautate si mai accesibile in Romania, insa vorbim de sisteme portabile si cu facilitati destul de limitate.

Sistemul de navigatie are doua componente principale:

1. Sistemul Hardware care determina pozitia folosind sistemul GPS (latitudine si longitudine)
2. Harti, care iti arata ca coordonatele de mai sus se afla pe planeta… Pamant.

Cand vorbim de Romania, la capitoul harti avem probleme! Pentru sistemele portabile gasim mai multe oferte, insa pentru sistemele de navigatie OEM ce vin cu masinile e jale.

De ani de zile dealerii de masini din Romania vand optional sisteme de navigatie, fara sa ofere si harti pentru Romania.

Daca pana acum era vorba ca producatorii de harti nu aveau date despre Romania, de doi ani au aceste date, insa producatorii de masini nu cer ca Romania sa fie inclusa pe discurile de navigatie!

Daca Porshe are o harta destul de detaliata cu Romania de acum doi ani, de ce aceasta harta nu se gaseste si pe noile discuri de la Mercedes, BMW sau Audi ? La masinile japoneze nici macar nu se ia in calcul sa aiba vreodata harti pentru Romania.

Cand intrebi dealerii de ce o masina ce costa intre 50 -100 000 euro nu are harti pentru Romania primesti explicatiiv vagi, insa una este comuna: “se cumpara prea putine masini cu navigatie in Romania”.

Oare de ce se intampla asta? E un cerc vicios !

Unii au noroc ca producatorul aparatului scoate harti pentru aparatele aftermarket, care se potrivesc si in sisteme OEM de pe masini (vezi BMW fara iDrive).

Se pare ca pe viitor salvarea vine tot de la Renault, care s-a aliat cu TomTom pentru a aduce sisteme de navigatie pe modelele mai ieftine.

Va mai trece insa multa vreme pana sa avem navigatie optionala pe… Logan, desi ar fi o optiune interesanta

Renault says its new low-cost satellite navigation system could quickly turn the luxury option into near-standard equipment on Europe’s high-volume cars.

The carmaker will launch a 500-euro navigation device starting in 2009.

The system will be an alternative to the existing satellite navigation devices in Renault’s upper-end cars. Those optional systems sell for about 1,500 euros.

“In Japan, about one customer in two buys an embedded navigation system,” said Patrick Pelata, Renault’s executive vice president and leader of the carmaker’s European management committee. “It seems reasonable for us to shoot for that sort of level in Europe,” Pelata told Automotive News Europe.

Renault developed its new low-cost system in partnership with Amsterdam-based technology company TomTom, the European leader in portable navigation systems.

The French automaker initially will offer the option in three of its leading high-volume cars. Pelata would not name the cars, but Renault’s top sellers include the Megane, Scenic and Clio models lines.

“Little by little we’re going to offer it everywhere,” Pelata said.

Pelata expects affordable high-tech features such as navigation systems to attract customers that otherwise would not be looking at a Renault.

“The majority of clients want a navigation system, but they generally can’t buy one, because it’s too expensive,” Pelata said.

A recent J.D. Power study of 5,000 consumers in Germany and the UK supports this contention. The study showed that when price was not a consideration, satellite navigation systems were the most desirable car option for car buyers.

However, when average prices of 1,800 euros in Germany and 1,800 pounds in the UK were brought into the equation, consumers quickly dumped their plans to acquire navigation systems, the J.D. Power study found.

Pelata said Renault will be “the only ones in the market with a product of this quality, at this price level,” and predicted strong sales across Europe.

TomTom’s partnership with Renault is exclusive during 2009, but the company is free to cooperate with other carmakers starting in 2010 on similar embedded navigation systems.

Sursa: Autonews