GPS World

Tag: Garmin

  • Garmin unveils aviation portable navigator, the aera 660

    Garmin International Inc. has launched the aera 660, a new cost-effective, feature-rich, purpose-built aviation portable. The compact 5-inch capacitive touchscreen has a bright, sunlight readable display complete with rich, interactive maps and a built-in GPS/GLONASS receiver that can be viewed in portrait or landscape modes for optimum customization.

    The aera 660 encompasses features of the aera and GPSMAP aviation portable series, adding new Connext wireless capabilities, WireAware wire-strike avoidance technology and more. New cost-effective database options along with built-in Wi-Fi database updating capabilities allow customers to more easily access the most up-to-date data, including daily U.S. fuel prices.

    Bluetooth supports the display of ADS-B in traffic and weather from a variety of sources, including the GDL 39/GDL 39 3D, Flight Stream and the GTX 345 ADS-B transponder. Availability of the aera 660 is expected later this month at an anticipated street price of $899.

    “Pilots have been asking for a new, purpose-built, easy to use aviation portable from Garmin and we have answered with the most powerful, robust and capable handheld device of this size ever designed, the aera 660,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin’s vice president of aviation sales and marketing. “For 25 years we have been the market leader in bringing innovative portable navigation devices to the cockpit that improve aviation safety and we have done that yet again with this terrific aera 660 — a premium portable product that conveniently fits on the yoke or in the palm of your hand.”

     

  • New Garmin smartwatch combines GPS, heart-rate monitor

    Garmin will introduce a new GPS smartwatch at Mobile World Congress, being held Feb. 22-25 in Barcelona, Spain. The vívoactive HR includes Garmin Elevate wrist heart-rate technology.

    vivoactiveHR_HR-WThe vívoactive HR helps keep track of active moments throughout the day, counting steps and floors climbed, intensity minutes, monitoring sleep and featuring built-in GPS-enabled sports apps for walking, running, biking, swimming, golfing, paddle boarding, rowing, skiing and snowboarding.

    The smartwatch uses 24/7 wrist-based heart rate data to calculate calories burned information as well as the intensity of fitness activities, providing proper credit for users’ array of workouts. With the Connect IQ store, users can personalize their vívoactive HR with free apps, widgets, watch faces and data fields.

    The smartwatch will be showcased at the Garmin booth #CS 90.

    “The vívoactive HR builds on the incredible versatility and multi-functionality of its predecessor by adding wrist-based heart rate and a barometric altimeter — allowing it to track even more data essential to workouts and day-to-day activity,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “All your efforts to stay active are accounted for from taking the stairs at the office to going on a run or ride.”

    Featuring Elevate wrist heart rate technology1, the vívoactive HR provides 24/7 heart rate monitoring and eliminates the need for a chest strap. Using the heart rate data the vívoactive HR quantifies the intensity of fitness activities and allows users to monitor their progress against aerobic activity goals recommended by leading health organizations like the American Heart Association.

    The vívoactive HR’s always-on, touchscreen, sunlight-readable Garmin Chroma Display lets users track activity and stay connected anytime, anywhere. Its built-in GPS-enabled sports apps include:

    Running – Using a built-in accelerometer and GPS users can track runs either indoors or out. Additional features include Auto Lap, Auto Pause, and vibration alerts for heart rate, pace, run/walk intervals, and more. Post-run summaries include stats such as total mileage, calories, average pace and overall time.

    Cycling – The cycling app measures time, distance, speed and calories. It is compatible with speed and cadence sensors, and the Varia® lights and radar (sensors and radar are sold separately).

    Pool Swimming – In addition to tracking total and interval time, distance, pace, stroke count and stroke type, the swimming app also features easy pausing for rests, complete with rest timers, and can calculate swolf, a measure of swimming efficiency.

    Golfing – Users can view a simplified view of the green, measure shot distance and be pointed in the right direction with PinPointer while golfing on one of the 40,000 course maps worldwide available for download from the Garmin golf course database.

    Stand Up Paddleboarding and Rowing – Users can easily track and view pace, time, distance, stroke count, stroke rate and distance per stroke. When using an indoor rowing machine, users can track time, stroke count and stroke rate.

    Skiing and Snowboarding – The skiing and snowboarding app measures 3-D speed by calculating the speed and distance on an incline versus latitude and longitude. It also provides splits automatically and features Auto Pause, which freezes the timer automatically when users stop or ride the lift.

    The vívoactive HR also includes Garmin Move IQ, a new feature that continuously monitors for periods of sustained activity. With Move IQ, the vívoactive HR automatically recognizes walking, running, biking, swimming and elliptical training. Users can easily track their exercise throughout the day without needing to start a timed activity. Once synced with Garmin Connect, users can review their full day of activity in a convenient Timeline view.

    The vívoactive HR will begin shipping in Q2 for a suggested retail price of $249.99. It will be available in regular and extra-large fit black bands. Accessory bands will be available in black, white, force yellow and lava red for a suggested retail price of $29.99 each.

  • Garmin to acquire outdoor tracking company DeLorme

    
The DeLorme inReach Explorer.
    The DeLorme inReach Explorer.

    Garmin Ltd. has entered into an agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of DeLorme, a privately held company that designs and markets consumer-based satellite tracking devices with two-way communication and navigational capabilities.

    The completion of the acquisition, which is subject to customary conditions, is expected to occur within 30 to 60 days.

    One of the most compelling products in the DeLorme portfolio is its inReach series of two-way satellite communication devices. These GPS-enabled devices allow the user to send and receive satellite text messages or trigger an SOS for emergency help, anywhere in the world. In addition to inReach, DeLorme has an extensive library of digital cartography and enterprise GIS software, as well as traditional mapping.

    “DeLorme is a respected brand with exciting products and technologies that are a natural fit in the Garmin portfolio,” said Cliff Pemble, Garmin’s president and CEO. “We look forward to completing the acquisition and welcoming them onto our team. We are looking forward to leveraging their expertise to further enhance the Garmin lineup of products.”

    Source: GPS world staff
    The DeLorme inReach Explorer is a two-way satellite communicator with built-in navigation.

    “Our inReach technology is invaluable to hikers, hunters, boaters and pilots who often find themselves in remote areas — Garmin’s core customers. We are looking forward to completing the acquisition and are excited to help leverage our expertise into enhancing their already outstanding products,” said Michael Heffron, CEO of DeLorme. “Garmin has extensive R&D capabilities and a global distribution network that will allow us to provide this technology to customers across many markets and around the world.”

    Garmin will retain most of the associates of DeLorme and will continue operations at its existing location in Yarmouth, Maine, following the completion of the acquisition. The Yarmouth facility will operate primarily as a research and development facility and will continue to develop two-way satellite communication devices and technologies. Financial terms of the purchase agreement and acquisition will not be released.

    For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine and outdoor recreation.

  • Garmin acquires lidar company PulsedLight

    Garmin International has acquired PulsedLight Inc., a privately held designer of optical distance measurement technology in Bend, Oregon.

    PulsedLight makes sensor boards that are highly accurate, small and lightweight. PulsedLight developed and owns the intellectual property that enables this technology, Garmin stated in a news release.

    PulsedLight is the maker of the LIDAR-Lite, an optical distance measurement sensor for automotive blind-spot sensing, smart city traffic monitoring, 3D image scanning, collision avoidance, industrial measurements, security system components and other applications.

    “Optical distance measurement technology fits in nicely with Garmin’s core competencies of location and positioning,” said Cliff Pemble, Garmin president and CEO. “We are delighted to add PulsedLight and their capabilities to the Garmin portfolio.”

    “We are excited to have the support of a technology leader like Garmin. They are able to provide the resources and manufacturing expertise to integrate our technology into incredibly useful new devices that serve a multitude of markets,” said Dennis Corey, president and co-founder of PulsedLight. “We look forward to an exciting future under the Garmin umbrella.”

    The PulsedLight office and its design associates will be retained by Garmin International. Financial terms of the acquisition will not be released.

  • flyGarmin app makes piloting easier

    The new flyGarmin app for Windows simplifies avionics database updates such as navigation, charts and more, while also accommodating the distribution of Jeppesen charts, Garmin said.

    The flyGarmin app is intended to give pilots a streamlined experience that makes database updates easier, requiring less time at their computers. Jeppesen charts are available for ChartView-enabled devices, plus subscribers can download Jeppesen charts alongside other databases purchased from Garmin.

  • Garmin, Honda Extend Partnership for Navigation

     

    Garmin International Inc. has expanded its partnership with Honda Motors to provide the infotainment systems in new-model Hondas with Garmin’s navigation system. The latest vehicle platform to launch with Garmin and its navigation solution is the all-new Honda Pilot.

    “We are delighted to expand our esteemed partnership with Honda across multiple new vehicle platforms, bringing our navigation expertise to their customers via an integrated system that is feature-packed and easy to use,” said Matt Munn, Garmin managing director of automotive OEM. “This growing partnership is a testament to the reliability and quality of our navigation solutions and we are honored by Honda’s continued confidence in Garmin.”

    The Garmin system integrates seamlessly into Honda infotainment consoles. Preloaded maps allow users to navigate through areas that lack cell reception, while millions of points of interest make it easy to find existing or new locations, Garmin said.

    Spoken turn-by-turn directions are enhanced with advanced guidance features to navigate drivers through challenging and rigorous circumstances. Lane guidance indicates the proper lane for a driver to make a turn, and photoReal junction view provides photo-realistic images of junctions and exits. The system also includes real-time traffic avoidance, speed limit display, 3D buildings, terrain views and more.

  • August Product Showcase

    August Product Showcase

    Garmin-eTrex-W
    Consumer

    Outdoor Recreation Handheld

    Garmin’s eTrex Touch 25, 35 and 35t outdoor handhelds have an updated user interface and 2.6-inch capacitive touchscreen display. The eTrex Touch series also features activity profiles for navigation for multiple activities and an enhanced track manager to start and stop recording.

    The eTrex Touch series has a high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver with GLONASS support and HotFix satellite prediction to locate users’ position quickly and precisely, even in heavy cover and deep canyons. All units have a three-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, which gives directional information even when standing still. The eTrex 35 and 35t also have a barometric altimeter to get more accurate altitude, elevation and climb information, as well as indications of weather changes.
    Garmin, www.garmin.com

    FieldMaster_Tasks-WFleet Management

    Supervisor App for Fleets

    The Supervisor app for the FieldMaster suite of mobile applications allows managers to leave the office and still have visibility into their fleet and mobile workers from their smartphone or tablet, as well as manage day-to-day operations remotely.

    FieldMaster Supervisor is available with Trimble Fleet Management and Work Management. Features include viewing the team’s locations on a map; seeing their job progress, including tasks at risk; finding the nearest worker to another team member or customer; turn-by-turn navigation; inspecting job performance and documenting status in the field; and receiving vehicle and driver performance alerts in real-time.

    Trimble, www.trimble.com

    Defense

    SAASM Receiver

    FlexPak-S-front-WNovAtel’s SPAN GNSS/INS technology is now available on the company’s OEM625S dual-frequency SAASM GPS plus civil RTK receiver. SPAN offers system developers with SAASM requirements the benefit of continuously available 3D positioning, velocity and attitude (roll, pitch, yaw) for their defense applications. Authorized defense customers need access to the Precise Positioning Service (PPS) for DOD applications. When keyed, the existing OEM625S board-level receiver provides an RTK PPS solution by taking the raw measurements from an L-3 XFACTOR SAASM and applying them to NovAtel’s RTK algorithm. SPAN technology couples NovAtel’s precision GNSS receivers with robust IMUs to provide a more reliable, stable solution, even during short periods of time when satellite signals are blocked or unavailable.

    NovAtel, www.novatel.com

    Design & Test

    Record and Playback with Real Time

    Averna-RP-6100-WThe Averna RP-6100 series is an RF tool offering high-performance record-and-playback and real-time simulation in one platform for RF application validation.

    The RP-6100 can capture all GNSS bands, as well as HD Radio, Wi-Fi, LTE, radar, and cognitive radio — plus impairments — to advance RF projects and harden product designs. It features up to four channels, 160 MHz of recording bandwidth, tight channel synchronization, an extended frequency range of 10 MHz to 6 GHz and 14-bit resolution. The RP-6100 can be equipped with Skydel Solutions’ software-defined, real-time GNSS simulator, which delivers easy setups, integrated maps, dynamic scenario creation, high precision and tight parameter controls to enable highly repeatable simulations of current and future GNSS conditions, as well as corner cases.

    Averna, www.averna.com

    Mobile

    Internet of Things Platform

    The AirPrime WP Series of smart wireless modules is designed for the development of connected products. The WP Series provides an integrated device-to-cloud architecture enabling developers to build a Linux-based product using a single module that sends user and product data to the cloud. The AirPrime WP series offers an application processor, GNSS receiver, and cellular modem with an optional ultra-low power mode that reduces power consumption by 200 times, opening up new use-case possibilities for cellular connectivity.

    Sierra Wireless, www.sierrawireless.com

  • Garmin Adds eTrex with Touchscreen to Outdoor Line

    Garmin Adds eTrex with Touchscreen to Outdoor Line

    The Garmin eTrex
    The Garmin eTrex can be mounted on bicycles, boats, ATVs or in the car.

    Garmin International this summer is releasing the eTrex Touch 25, 35 and 35t, adding new touchscreen models to its line of outdoor handhelds.

    The eTrex Touch series has a completely updated user interface, improving the ease-of-use of the device, as well as a 2.6-inch capacitive touchscreen display, the largest display that’s ever been put on an eTrex device. The eTrex Touch series also features new activity profiles for easy-to-use navigation for multiple activities and an enhanced track manager to easily start and stop recording.

    The new eTrex Touch series has a high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver with GLONASS support and HotFix satellite prediction to locate users’ position quickly and precisely, even in heavy cover and deep canyons.All units in the eTrex Touch series have a built-in 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, which gives directional information even when standing still. The eTrex 35 and 35t also have a barometric altimeter to get more accurate altitude, elevation and climb information, as well as indications of pending weather changes.

    The eTrex Touch 25, 35 and 35t are compatible with an array of mounts that are easy to use on bicycles, boats, ATVs or in the car, and offer a long-lasting 16-hour battery life, and a rugged ergonomic design to withstand the elements.

    The eTrex Touch series integrates a variety of new activity profiles. The device remembers how each profile is set up to each activity, and will set it up for users the same way every time, making it comfortable, quick and intuitive to use the same device for entirely different purposes. No matter if users are out rock climbing, hiking, hunting, cycling, geocaching or fishing, with an eTrex Touch, switching between activities is easier than ever, even if they’re done all in one afternoon.

    The eTrex Touch series comes preloaded with a worldwide shaded relief basemap, 4 GB of internal memory on the 25 and 35 models and 8 GB of internal memory on the 35t. The eTrex 35t also comes preloaded with TOPO U.S. 100K. With the built-in microSD card slot, users can install even more maps, like HuntView to see public and private land data while hunting, BirdsEye Satellite Imagery or TOPO U.S. 24K. All models come preloaded with 250,000 geocaches from Geocaching.com, so right out of the box users can start their geocaching adventure virtually anywhere in the world.

    The eTrex 35 and 35t incorporate wireless ANT+ connectivity to accessory sensors like heart rate monitors, the Tempe temperature sensor, Chirp geocaching beacon, or the cycling speed sensors and cadence sensors. The eTrex 35 and 35t can also act as a wireless remote control for the VIRB line of action cameras. The eTrex 35 and 35t can connect via Bluetooth to compatible smartphones to receive smart notifications and stay connected out on the trail, but keep their phone safely packed away from the elements. Additionally, these units are compatible with the the Garmin Connect mobile app, for features such as LiveTrack. With LiveTrack, users can pair their device with the app, and invite friends and family to follow their activity in real time. This provides peace of mind, especially if users are alone.

    The eTrex Touch 25 will have a suggested retail price of $249.99, the eTrex Touch 35 will have a suggested retail price of $299.99 and the eTrex Touch 35t will have a suggested retail price of $349.99.

     

  • Garmin Offers Trucking Navigator with Built-in Dash Cam

    Garmin Offers Trucking Navigator with Built-in Dash Cam

    The Garmin dezlCam trucking navigator has a built-in dash cam.
    The Garmin dezlCam trucking navigator has a built-in dash cam.

    Garmin International Inc. is offering dēzlCam, an all-in-one trucking navigator with a built-in dash cam that serves as an onboard eyewitness. Truckers can rely on firsthand video footage that continually records the drive and automatically saves video footage on impact.

    The dēzlCam provides custom truck routing for the size and weight of a driver’s truck as well as route warnings for bridge heights, weight limits, sharp curves, steep grades and more.

    “The dēzlCam is an innovative navigation solution for truckers,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “As technology evolves, so do the needs of truck drivers who spend their lives on the road. Truckers will like dēzlCam especially because of its premium trucking features combined with an integrated dash cam that records proof of road incidents and protects their driving reputation. The combination of these features adds significant value to our trucking community.”

    This premium truck navigator features a six-inch pinch-to-zoom display, a built-in dash cam with an adjustable swivel lens, and a magnetic mount to quickly secure or remove the dēzlCam from a driver’s truck. The built-in dash cam starts recording as soon as the dēzlCam is powered on, while the Incident Detection (G-sensor) automatically saves footage of collisions upon impact.

    Location, speed, date and time data can be optionally recorded allowing drivers to know precisely when and where an incident occurred. The Snapshot feature captures still images and provides truckers the freedom to remove the dēzlCam from their truck to take close-up pictures. Users can also play back driving footage directly on the device, or review on a computer using garmin.com/dashcamplayer.

    A comprehensive directory of preloaded TruckDown Locations and Services make it easy to find places highly rated by truckers. Drivers can filter trucking points of interest to find locations with their preferred brands or amenities.

    The dēzlCam is also bundled with Foursquare data that adds millions of new and popular points of interest to the navigator’s searchable database. Easy Route Shaping lets drivers modify a route to include preferred cities or roads by touching the screen. The Up Ahead feature displays a constant stream of nearby services, such as upcoming rest areas, fuel stations and restaurants.

    The dēzlCam also provides a history log to record fuel usage, IFTA mileage and hours of service, and displays mile-marker information, automatic time zone changes and alerts drivers of upcoming state and country borders.

    Created with safety in mind, the dēzlCam offers advanced navigation features that aid truckers in reaching their desired destination. Voice-activated navigation lets truckers control the dēzlCam with their voice, while Bluetooth technology allows for hands-free calling and pairing with a Bluetooth-enabled headset (sold separately). The dēzlCam is also compatible with the Garmin BC 30 Wireless Backup Camera (sold separately) to easily see behind a truck when in reverse. Spoken Garmin Real Directions can help drivers locate hard-to-find addresses with spoken directions that use recognizable landmarks, buildings and traffic lights. Active Lane Guidance with helpful voice prompts indicates the proper lane needed for a trucker’s route, while realistic Junction View imagery helps navigate complex interchanges with ease.

    The dēzlCam comes equipped with preloaded maps of North America with free lifetime map updates, as well as free HD Digital traffic that provides updates as often as every 30 seconds. Drivers can also download the free Smartphone Link app to access live weather radar on the dēzlCam and other real-time data services from a compatible iPhone or Android™ smartphone.

    The Garmin dēzlCam is expected to be available this month with a suggested retail price of $499.99.

     

  • Affordable Wearables Strong in First Quarter before Apple Watch Debut

    The worldwide wearable device market recorded its eighth consecutive quarter of steady growth in the first quarter of 2015. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker, vendors shipped a total of 11.4 million wearables in the first quarter, a 200 percent increase from the 3.8 million wearables shipped in the first quarter of 2014.

    “Bucking the post-holiday decline normally associated with the first quarter is a strong sign for the wearables market,” said Ramon Llamas, research manager, Wearables. “It demonstrates growing end-user interest and the vendors’ ability to deliver a diversity of devices and experiences. In addition, demand from emerging markets is on the rise and vendors are eager to meet these new opportunities.

    “What remains to be seen is how Apple’s arrival will change the landscape,” added Llamas. “The Apple Watch will likely become the device that other wearables will be measured against, fairly or not. This will force the competition to up their game in order to stay on the leading edge of the market.” The Apple Watch began shipping April 24.

    “As with any young market, price erosion has been quite drastic,” said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst, Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. “We now see over 40% of the devices priced under $100, and that’s one reason why the top 5 vendors have been able to grow their dominance from two thirds of the market in the first quarter of last year to three quarters this quarter. Despite this price erosion, Apple’s entrance with a product priced at the high end of the spectrum will test consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for a brand or product that is the center of attention.”

    Wearable Vendor Highlights

    Fitbit started 2015 the same way it ended 2014: as the clear market leader in the worldwide wearable device market. Fitbit’s first quarter shipments were driven by the release of three new devices (the Charge, Charge HR, and the Surge) along with continued demand for its older Flex wristband and One and Zip clip-on models. Separately, these address multiple segments of the market, from casual exerciser to committed athlete, and collectively leverage Fitbit’s behavior change engine to encourage activity.

    Xiaomi started off the year by blasting through the one million unit mark with its Mi Band for the first time, a significant feat made all the more impressive considering the device just started shipping during the second half of 2014. Similar to its smartphones, Xiaomi’s Mi Band was delivered primarily within its home country of China, but recent announcements point to more global aspirations for the company.

    Garmin’s wearable device portfolio spans multiple areas of health and fitness, including activity tracking, running, hiking, golfing, triathlons, and multi-sport. The majority of Garmin’s devices are GPS-enabled to track location and distance, and some leverage the company’s ConnectIQ third-party applications to record activity, show notifications, and news.

    Samsung’s fourth place finish came from worldwide demand for its Gear smartwatches. Since its debut in 2013, the Gear portfolio has diversified to include the Tizen-powered Gear, Gear 2, Gear Fit, Gear 2 Neo, Gear S, and the Android-Wear powered Gear Live. What has limited Samsung, however, is the ability for Gear devices to connect only with select high-end Samsung smartphones.

    Jawbone beat Pebble and Sony for fifth place, a result driven by the release of its UP MOVE and continued demand for its nearly year-old UP24. The company will release two new devices in the second quarter of 2015, with the similarly-functioning UP2 and the mobile payments-enabled UP3. The company maintained its design strategy of no displays, but again touted its predictive data engine to encourage healthier lifestyles.

    Top Five Wearables Vendors, Shipments, Market Share and Year-Over-Year Growth, Q1 2015 Data
    (Units in Millions)
    Vendor

    1Q15 Shipment Volumes

    1Q15 Market Share

    1Q14 Shipment Volumes

    1Q14 Market Share

    Year-over-year Change
    1. Fitbit

    3.9

    34.2%

    1.7

    44.7%

    129.4%
    2. Xiaomi

    2.8

    24.6%

    0

    0.0%

    N/A
    3. Garmin

    0.7

    6.1%

    0.3

    7.9%

    133.3%
    4. Samsung

    0.6

    5.3%

    0.3

    7.9%

    100.0%
    5. Jawbone

    0.5

    4.4%

    0.2

    5.3%

    150.0%
    Others

    2.9

    25.4%

    1.3

    34.2%

    123.1%
    Total

    11.4

    100.0%

    3.8

    100.0%

    200.0%

    Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Tracker, June 2, 2015

    Table Notes:
    • Data is subject to change.
    • Vendor shipments are branded device shipments and exclude OEM sales for all vendors.
    • The “Vendor” represents the current parent company (or holding company) for all brands owned and operated as subsidiary.

  • New Report Considers GNSS Market Outlook 2015-2020

    Research and Markets has added the report “Global Navigation Satellite Systems Market Outlook 2020” to its offerings. The global core GNSS market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 9 percent during 2015-2020.

    In the report, the analysts have identified and deciphered the market dynamics in important GNSS industry segments, highlighting the areas offering promising possibilities for companies to boost their growth, according to Research and Markets. The report studies the market by sectors including location-based services (LBS), transportation (further divided into road navigation, rail navigation, air navigation and marine navigation), surveying and agriculture. The GNSS application market is further studied by region: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of World.

    The report provides a complete overview of the GNSS market globally. All the current trends and drivers, coupled with potential growth areas of the GNSS industry, have been evaluated in the report. Furthermore, the report provides information on opportunities in the industry for different companies in the chapter titled Opportunity Assessment.

    Additionally, to provide an exhaustive knowledge of the prospects for GNSS players on the geographical front, the report provides comprehensive knowledge of the 10 most worthwhile GNSS markets around the world (U.S., Canada, UK, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, China, South Korea and India). It includes information about the present state and future outlook of the LBS and telematics markets in these countries along with information about their personal navigation systems such as GPS, BeiDou,Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS and IRNSS.

    The report also looks into the competitive landscape covering business overviews, key financials, product analyses, recent developments and strengths and weaknesses of each of the players.

    Key trends considered in the report include:

    • Driverless Car: New GNSS Technology Use
    • Indoor GNSS Positioning Poised for Growth
    • People, Pets and Thing Finder: The Next Attraction
    • GNSS Based Products: A Burgeoning Market Opportunity
    • GNSS Jamming Gaining Attention

    Companies mentioned include:

    • AgJunction
    • CSR
    • Furuno Electric Co Ltd.
    • Garmin Ltd.
    • MiTAC International Corp.
    • Raytheon Company
    • Rockwell Collins
    • TomTom NV
    • Topcon Corporation
    • Trimble Navigation Ltd.

     

  • Bus-Crash Victims Sue TomTom, Garmin

    Bus-Crash Victims Sue TomTom, Garmin

    Garmin-truck
    The Garmin dezl trucking navigator.

    Lawyers for 11 Pennsylvania residents injured in 2013 when their charter bus slammed into an overpass in Boston, Mass., are suing GPS device manufacturers TomTom and Garmin, seeking more than $15 million in damages.

    The bus driver was using both a Garmin and a TomTom satnav, neither of which were intended for use by commercial vehicles, but the lawsuit filed in January claims that the GPS units were at fault for not providing road height restrictions.

    The bus driver, Samuel J. Jackson, told police he drove the 11-foot-high bus onto Soldiers Field Road, which is off-limits to vehicles more than 10 feet high, because he was “following the GPS.” At least one sign warning of this restriction was missing or damaged, and construction on the Harvard Street overpass obstructed other warning signs, the suit said.

    Passengers were injured when the bus roof crushed backwards in the crash dropping the luggage rack and television onto the heads of the passengers, the Boston Globe reports.

    Both TomTom and Garmin manufacture GPS units for professional drivers which feature information on bridge underpass height restrictions.