Garmap live updates beat traffic

Johannesburg, 08 Jul 2009

Map data provider Garmin SA and Altech Netstar, a vehicle tracking company, have partnered to bring live traffic updates to GPS-enabled cellphones.

Garmap for Mobile, a cellphone-based navigation software application available in SA, will soon integrate live, real-time traffic conditions, alerting drivers to slow-moving or stationary traffic.

Bad traffic may be a fact of life, says Andrew McHenry, head of mobile and content for Garmap, but having constantly updated traffic information fed into the navigation system means one can either avoid the worst of it by taking a detour, or reschedule the trip if there is a major unavoidable delay.

The Live Traffic function works by collecting information from over 50 000 cars fitted with Altech Netstar GSM/GPS tracking devices and streaming it over a mobile data connection to Garmap for Mobile users. The information is displayed directly on the on-screen map, with small, car-shaped icons used to symbolise traffic congestion.

“The Garmap for Mobile traffic-notification service is always up to date, there are no delays or 20-minute gaps between updates as with other more static solutions currently available,” says McHenry.

“Because Garmap for Mobile Live Traffic utilises data gathered from Altech Netstar's satellite tracking devices, the traffic data is always accurate. There won't be any nasty surprises waiting for you on your trip,” he adds.

“Garmap's mobile navigation application is the most advanced we've seen, and we are delighted to provide our traffic data to this leading company,” comments Joel Stransky, MD of Altech Nestar Group.

The service is still being tested but is expected to be available later this year. The test phase covers Gauteng only and will then be made available to the entire country when the service is officially launched.

Garmap and Altech Netstar are currently offering Garmap for Mobile users the opportunity to try Live Traffic free during the test phase. Users wishing to try the service can SMS the word TRAFFIC to 32541 to be automatically subscribed.

Garmap for Mobile is currently bundled on a select range of Samsung handsets, and is compatible with Windows Mobile, Symbian, BlackBerry and Android powered GPS-enabled handsets. The software supports phones with onboard GPS and can also be used on phones that connect to a Bluetooth GPS adaptor.

Users who don't have Garmap for Mobile but would like to try the service can download a seven-day free trial of the software by browsing to http://garmapformobile.wisepilot.com from their phones.