25 different uses for your sat-nav

So you reckon satellite navigation systems are only good for directing you from A to B? Well, think again! The humble sat-nav is fast becoming
the motorist’s best friend – containing everything you need in one little box.

Hi-tech new uses are being developed virtually on a daily basis – from helping you find the nearest gourmet restaurant to ‘intelligent’ real-time traffic jam avoidance. They can make you laugh, with spoof announcements and comedy voices. They’ll even switch on your kettle so you have a nice hot cuppa waiting for you when you arrive home!

Auto Express points you to the best features with our guide to getting the most out of your sat-nav...

1: SPOT SPEED CAMERAS
Speed camera location is now a standard feature on most satellite-navigation units – both aftermarket set-ups and those which are factory-fitted in brand new cars. Rather than reacting to radio waves, it uses Global Positioning System (GPS) to plot the bearings of fixed cameras, warns you when you are approaching one and reminds you of the correct speed.

More sophisticated ‘directional’ systems such as those from Road Angel will alert you only to cameras on your side of the road, rather than all units nearby, to cut down on confusion.

Mapping data needs to be updated regularly via the sat-nav maker’s website to keep abreast of the ever-changing UK camera network – a subscription is usually charged for this service.

2: GET MOBILE SPEED CAMERA WARNINGS
The Navigator 9000 and Professional Connected alerts other Road Angel sat-navs to the location of mobile traps via the firm’s Camera Share system. Pressing a button sends data anonymously to a server, which then relays it to fellow Road Angel users for two hours.

3: TAKE THE SCENIC ROUTE
The fastest route is not necessarily the prettiest. Picturesque alternatives are supplied by some manufacturers – TomTom offers its Scenic Routes: see www.tomtom.com for free downloads.

More adventurous drivers may want to visit www.travelbygps.com for gratis GPS maps and guides to everything from sightseeing to hiking and off-road driving. You can use your sat-nav to navigate the old Route 66, visit aircraft crash sites in Colorado or trace an ancient horse trail through Iceland. Even GPS maps of Iraq can be downloaded!

Alternatively, some devices, including high-spec Garmins and Navmans, allow you to choose a picture of a landmark you would like to see. The sat-nav then leads you to it. Location-tagged images can be viewed and selected on the companies’ respective websites and saved to your system, ready for you to simply hit the picture and go.

4: CHECK YOUR SPEED
GPS can also calculate this – far more accurately than most speedos, which typically over-read by about 10 per cent.

5: USE INTELLIGENT NAVIGATION
A traffic-avoidance system which has been developed by Microsoft predicts the most likely routes taken by drivers to avoid jams and congestion, then considers all possible alternative side streets to calculate the least busy circuit around the snarl-up. Called Clearflow, it’s currently available only in the US – downloaded for free via live.com – and covers 72 cities. However, Microsoft is evaluating feedback with a view to introducing it to other markets.

Meanwhile, TomTom’s IQ Route uses genuine average speeds which are based on data collected from drivers to calculate journey times. Travelling during rush hour or on a road that is scattered with traffic-calming measures, for example, will mean a dramatically lower speed than a 30mph posted limit.

6: GET LIVE TRAFFIC REPORTS
Free real-time alerts about jams and roadworks are better than a crystal ball. They are available on units which incorporate Traffic Message Channel (TMC) or Radio Data System (RDS) receivers, such as the Becker Traffic Assist and Garmin nüvi, allowing you to re-plan your route. Trafficmaster roadside sensors play a big role, too.

Advanced sat-navs such as the TomTom Traffic series have the option of automatically navigating you around the obstruction. If your existing system doesn’t have a TMC/RDS receiver, add-on devices are available for TomToms and Garmins from Halfords for £49.99.

7: LEARN A LANGUAGE
Load an SD card containing 20,000 phrases in five languages into your top-end Garmin and it will vocalise the one you want, so you can pronounce it just right. Alternatively, play it to a native while abroad, so they can work out what you’ve been struggling to say!

8: EAT, DRINK AND SLEEP WELL
Indulge yourself with downloadable sat-nav guides to the finest hospitality. Sawday’s Pubs and Inns guide covers 900 of the best, and Harden’s Restaurant Guide rates the UK’s finest; both are available from www.roadtour.co.uk and cost £7.95 and £9.95 respectively.

Data from the Michelin guides is on www.viamichelin.co.uk and included in ViaMichelin’s own sat-nav systems. And by visiting www.signpost.co.uk you can download details of premier hotels.

If you’re looking for a good night out once you’ve reached your destination, the Campaign for Real Ale offers a points of interest (POI) version of the Good Beer Guide for TomTom units. Buy from £5 on the www.camra.org.uk site. Meanwhile, Wetherspoon’s has downloadable sat-nav files to direct you to its 696 UK pubs at www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/downloads/satnav – just don’t drive afterwards.

9: WORK OUT MATHS, MONEY AND THE TIME IN MUMBAI
A built-in calculator is a standard feature on many sat-nav systems, along with currency converters, unit converters and even a world clock.

10: FIND YOUR NEAREST…
Virtually all GPS units on the market display POI data, such as the nearest petrol station, car park, hospital or cash machine, and many will also tell you about local hotels, restaurants and more. Some manufacturers even offer optional tourist guides, such as the Marco Polo series which is available from Garmin.

In addition, it’s possible to download all sorts of useful information about the area you are travelling through. RoadTour Heritage allows you to discover 600 UK sites, from historic homes to battlefields, while on the move. Prices start at £19.95 from the www.roadtour.co.uk Web page.

11: GET BUILT-IN THEFT PROTECTION
Sat-nav theft is on the rise, but you can make sure your system is operated only by you – and render it useless to thieves. Medion’s new GoPal P4425 has fingerprint-recognition technology, and refuses to work until its built-in scanner recognises the owner’s print.

The security feature is currently unique in its class – but with technology moving at such a fast pace, it’s likely to become commonplace in the future.

12: AVOID DODGY AREAS
Honda’s InterNavi unit warns drivers in Japan when they’re nearing a crime hotspot where cars have been stolen or vandalised. These areas are marked on the display with stars: the more stars there are, the higher the crime rate.

The system relies on theft frequency data sent via a wireless link by the police, who wanted to alert motorists to soaring car theft in cities. It’s currently unavailable in the UK, but could come here soon.

13: PLAY YOUR MUSIC
You can listen to your iPod through your cabin speakers on sat-navs with a built-in FM transmitter, simply by tuning your car radio into its frequency. Some kits allow you to plug your MP3 player directly into the unit, or else slot in an SD card loaded with music files.

14: SHARE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS
Show off your holiday snaps on your sat-nav screen by slotting the camera’s SD card into units with a Jpeg viewer. You can even upload them to the sat-nav’s memory. The same system could also be used to display documents.

15: LISTEN TO A BOOK
You can indulge in a good read on the move by downloading titles from www.audiobooksonline.co.uk (which is offering free samples) or
www.audible.co.uk to an SD card. Or else use your iPod, which is then linked to your sat-nav to broadcast to your car’s speakers via the FM transmitter.

16: MAKE HANDS-FREE CALLS
using your mobile phone legally on the move is simple. Just link your sat-nav to your handset via a Bluetooth connection. The Garmin nüvi allows you to transfer the address book from your mobile and even dial the telephone number of, say, a restaurant using its POI touchscreen. And the Garmin 760 and TomTom’s GO series can also vocalise SMS messages on certain compatible mobiles.

17: GET WEATHER REPORTS
Check the latest weather conditions at your destination by linking your sat-nav to the Internet via a Bluetooth wireless connection on your smartphone. Present technology does not allow for more involved Web browsing – but we are sure all that will change before too long!

Alternatively, the Road Angel Navigator 9000 has a built-in SIM card similar to that used in a mobile phone. This transfers data via the Orange network at least once every two minutes to constantly update weather reports, as well as mapping details and speed camera locations.

18: FIND YOUR WAY ON FOOT
Most GPS-enabled smartphones can lead you around the streets of many of the country’s major towns and cities on foot when they’re set to pedestrian mode. And so can vehicle units such as the Mio C220.

Switching your satellite navigation to pedestrian mode means it will ignore one-way street restrictions and adjust the estimated time of arrival. Just check its out-of-the-car battery life first!

19: FIND YOUR CAR
Now, where did I park? The Garmin nüvi 710 automatically makes a note of its position when you unclip it from the windscreen. So, take it with you when you leave the car and it will help you track down your vehicle in the most packed parking area. A smartphone with CoPilot GPS navigation software will also save your location – essential for returning holidaymakers when tackling the airport’s long-stay car park.

20: VIEW A BLOCKBUSTER
Film files are too large to be handled by current windscreen-mounted sat-navs. However, they could easily be played on double DIN-sized in-dash entertainment systems that incorporate sat-nav as standard – such as Pioneer’s AVIC-F900BT or the DNX 5220BT.

CD and DVD compatibility is included in these high-end packages, as are radio and iPod connections, and Halfords sells them for £800 and £1,000 respectively. Just remember to leave the viewing to passengers, unless you’re parked!

21: CONTROL YOUR HOME
The Panasonic Strada F-Class will not only navigate to and from your house, but also let you remotely control what goes on inside it – from setting the DVD timer to turning on the lights or heating.

Various domestic appliances can be controlled by a wireless connection activated via the touchscreen on the firm’s CN-HX1000D and CN-HW1000D systems. They will also send an ‘on my way home’ message to your family, who are then able to track your progress.

You can even view real-time footage of what’s going on inside the house! The price is around £1,750 – although the ingenious set-ups are currently available only to drivers in Japan.

22: LISTEN TO A CELEBRITY
Add a little fun to your sat-nav by downloading an alternative voice for announcements. Various dulcet tones are offered by some manufacturers, while a selection of celebrity soundalikes – such as Del Boy, Victor Meldrew, and Smashy and Nicey – are available for Garmin and TomTom set-ups. They cost from £1.99 on the www.celebrityvoices.co.uk site.

Or pretend you’re Michael Knight from the hit Eighties’ TV show and get your directions from the original voice of on-board ‘computer’ KITT, with the special Knight Rider sat-nav system from Mio. It’s currently available only in the US, and even makes Knight Rider’s characteristic whooshing noise and pulsates a pair of red lights on start-up.

23: TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS
You can snap a photograph through the windscreen on the move with the Navman N60. It will then be able to navigate you back to the spot where you pressed the shutter. Meanwhile, in a variation on a theme, the N Drive G800 shows you exactly where you are by displaying satellite images of your route, rather than the usual graphics.

24: LOCATE YOUR MATES
Fellow TomTom owners can use the Buddies feature to see who’s nearby. Check your friends’ position on the map and arrange to meet up via SMS messages – then use the satellite navigation to take you to the rendezvous point.

25: BE ENTERTAINED
Laugh your way up the M6 with 230 Miles of Love – a series of amusing sketches triggered as you pass certain points. The world’s first ‘sat-com’ or ‘GPS-assisted comedy’, it can be downloaded for free at www.230milesoflove.com – although users are encouraged to make a donation to charity. To get a flavour, listen to Welcome to the North – the first of the six ‘locative media’ episodes – on your PC.

Meanwhile, CoPilot users can amuse passengers with spoof announcements from Emma Clarke, the voice of London Underground. See the CoPilot site at www.alk.eu.com to download it for free.