The NCC to Demo New Goodyear-Branded GPS Navigation Systems at CES 2009
Exclusive Commercial Vehicle GPS Unit To Be Powered By Navevo, Leading European Navigation Software Developer
2009 CES Show
January 6, 2009 | NEW YORK — The NCC, a leading manufacturer of consumer electrical devices, plans to demonstrate their new line of officially-licensed Goodyear-branded GPS navigation units at the upcoming CES convention in Las Vegas, Jan 8-12. Focus will be on the soon to be released GY500X that will make its debut at the convention.
The new and exclusive unit for those with a Commercial Driver’s License, the GY500X, will be targeted specifically at the trucking industry and drivers of other commercial vehicles, such as commercial vans, trailers, and large RVs & motor homes. More than just a GPS with commercial routes, the unit, which is the first of its kind in the industry, has been designed from the ground up to appeal to the specific needs of the trucker.
British navigation software developer Navevo, which recently won the Frost and Sullivan 2008 UK Telematics Product Innovation Award, developed the software to be used in the new GY500X system. The software, “ProNav” featuring NAVTEQ Transport, was designed specifically with the trucking industry in mind. It provides dynamic routing and navigation capabilities, using driver-set parameters such as:
• Vehicle dimensions (e.g. height, weight, length, width)
• Legal restrictions (e.g. no commercial vehicles allowed, multiple HazMat restriction levels)
• Other warning data (e.g. cross winds, steep incline, etc.)
Given these parameters, the unit can access a comprehensive database of legal/physical restrictions and pertinent points of interest to provide a dynamic, targeted route that highlights weigh stations, avoids restricted roads, and even directs the driver to the nearest diesel gas location. The GY500X also features multiple vehicle profiles, to allow a single unit to be shared easily among multiple trucks or vans in a fleet. It offers a heavy duty windshield mount, a large 4.3″ widescreen LCD and booming 3-watt speaker, to allow voice directions to be heard even in a noisy cabin. The unit also includes built-in USA and Canada NAVTEQ maps, and a 25ft external antenna to allow for alternative mounting options.
“The new GY500X unit will deliver the portable navigation solution that many CDL drivers are looking for,” says Barry Rosenstock, VP of Operations for the NCC. “Current GPS systems do not address the needs of this niche market. The GY500X is the complete portable package for drivers of commercial vehicles, and we’re proud to have developed this product with Navevo, the leader in this space.”
The consumer models to be demoed at CES, including the affordably priced GY130 & GY135 and mid-range GY145, utilize many industry-leading features, including INSTANT Rerouting, which utilizes a constant, proactive analysis of all possible routes within a one mile radius to instantly calculate new directions when a user changes their route. This feature, which is exclusive to Goodyear GPS products, prevents the system from having to “recalculate” when a turn is missed.
“Today’s GPS systems realize when you miss a turn, but then make you wait while a progress bar shows ‘rerouting’ or ‘recalculating,'” said Rosenstock “In the meantime, you could miss your next turn and not even know it. Our system doesn’t do recalculations. When you miss a turn, it’s already prepared with an alternate route, without missing a beat — or an exit.”
The NCC’s consumer GPS units were recently released to the market and will have demonstration units available at CES.
The NCC will also be demonstrating prototypes of their high-end consumer models, the GY340 and GY440. In addition to all features on the entry-level models, both high-end units feature:
• Digital Terrain Modeling — displays on the map changes of elevation, such as road dips and hills
• Multiple Route Selection — allows you to choose from multiple available routes to your destination
• Lane Guidance — displays which lanes are valid lanes for your upcoming turn
• Curve Speed Warning — warns you if your speed is excessively high for an upcoming curve in the road
• An included remote control to access hands-free Bluetooth and MP3 Playback functions
In addition, the Goodyear GY440 flagship GPS will utilize voice recognition to allow for a complete hands-free experience. Drivers can enter a destination or choose a point of interest by merely speaking aloud to the GPS. The GY440 also features MSN Direct service from Microsoft, for live traffic information, local weather, nearby gas prices, and even movie times and local news. The GY440 comes with the MSN receiver and 12 months of free MSN Direct service.
About The NCC
Founded in 1998 in Brooklyn, NY, The NCC has quickly become a market leader in holiday electrical accessories, and in 2005 expanded into everyday electrical. The company prides itself on product innovation, and has been praised by retailers nationwide for taking an innovative approach to product development and merchandising. In 2008, The NCC launched a line of global positioning devices (GPS), officially licensed by Goodyear.
GOODYEAR (and wing foot design) is a trademark of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio USA used under license by The NCC NY, LLC.
About Navevo
Navevo offers a full range of navigation solutions and location based plug-ins designed to operate on Windows Mobile hardware platforms including PNDs, PDAs and Smartphones.
Navevo owns and develops all of its navigation software, providing the flexibility to meet market demands, create unique propositions and get them to market quickly.
Our strategy is simple, providing unique software and services that make navigation more useful for everyday life. www.navevo.com
