HAVE you ever driven around the Casey or Cardinia area, looking for a new housing estate while juggling a 1997 road directory on your lap? The estate is nowhere to be found and balancing a bulky map on your lap can often lead to dangerous driving.
Enter the Road Angel 7000, the latest generation global positioning satellite (GPS) driver navigation technology.
In other words, it’s a little grey box attached to your windscreen that tells you exactly where you are and where you want to go.
The Road Angel 7000 features an up-to-date Sensis Whereis street map, a large anti-glare touchscreen and the option of viewing maps in two or three dimensions.
To navigate, simply turn the Road Angel on, enter the details of the destination and follow the voice prompts and on-screen map.
The default female voice sounds annoyingly like an out-of-service American robot, but a selection of more riveting dialects can be downloaded to the Road Angel.
But even on the regular journey from home to work, when navigation is not required, the Road Angel quickly becomes a must-have device.
An on-screen speedo allows drivers to ensure they are under the legal limit.
Road Sense safety information also alerts motorists of approaching hazards.
So useful is the Road Sense software that it clearly has the potential to dramatically reduce road fatalities and injuries.
Road Sense alerts drivers to the speed limit of school zones, the exact location of red light and speed cameras and even accident black spots.
Audible warnings sound when a railway crossing approaches and when speed limits change as the car coasts into country towns.
During E-talk’s test, fixed speed and red light cameras on Lonsdale Street in Dandenong were clearly displayed.
When driving into Pakenham, a speed limit change from 80 km/h to 60 km/h was verbally recognised by the Road Angel.
The Road Angel 7000 is relatively lightweight, though drivers of some smaller cars may find it inconvenient to discreetly position.
A built-in picture viewer and MP3 audio player are nice additions to the device.
By connecting the Road Angel to a computer with the Internet, weekly Road Angel and Whereis map updates can be easily downloaded.
The Road Angel 7000 has a recommend price of $999 is dust and splash-proof and has a fast 400Mhz processor.
Pros: Easy to operate, easy to navigate, Road Angel software will save lives and demerit points.
Cons: Windscreen mount can clutter the dashboard, $1000 price tag is slightly high.
Verdict: 9/10.
