It seems that just about every technology gadget for automobiles has
ended  | | MirrorPilot: cheaper than a regular navigation system, less cluttered than a portable unit. (Photo: MirrorPilot) | up in the rearview mirror. Bluetooth handsfree connection,
HomeLink garage door openers, even reverse and forward cameras with
video recorders. But the latest gadget to be integrated is a navigation
system, and it's called MirrorPilot.
MirrorPilot
uses the same sort of technology to display an image in the rearview
mirror as reverse cameras or other screens, taking up the left hand
side of the mirror. In a fairly small rectangle it displays the route
in either 2D or 3D perspectives, and has information relating to over
800,000 destinations with information taken off of an SD card
containing the map info. New maps and updates can easily be added via
the memory card slot, and the system is capable of updating the route
according to traffic reports. Unlike most console mounted navigation
systems, data input is done via a convenient handheld | | Controlled via a simple hand-held remote. Mirror also features Bluetooth link for cell phones. (Photo: MirrorPilot) | remote, which can
be operated while the vehicle is in motion by passengers.
In
addition to functioning as a navigation system, MirrorPilot also
integrates a Bluetooth handsfree function into the mirror, which is
also controlled through the handheld remote. And speaking of the
handheld remote, it has sparked a bit of a debate over whether or not
its use promotes driver distraction.
Currently, the MirrorPilot
is only available in Europe, at a cost of 699 euro for the device, plus
maps of the Germany, Swiss and Belgian areas, and 799 for the entire
European Union region. That's a bit pricier than some of the current
portable nav systems, but the difference you pay also provides a
cleaner, less cluttered dash.
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