Technicians at Fiat...
Technicians at Fiat are employing world-leading robotic technology to perfect the company"s cabin designs, and believe this sophisticated "exoskeleton" (see image) will allow them to explore the interiors of vehicles which exist only in virtual reality. In order to work the arm, a volunteer sits in a simulator which generates a 3D illusion of the inside of the new car.
It comes preloaded with...
It comes preloaded with UK and Ireland mapping, and your route will be easy to follow on the 3.5-inch bird’s eye view screen. There’s a clever SmartDetour feature, which enables owners to take an alternative route around jams, while the database is claimed to offer two million points of interest.
Turn-by-turn instructions are provided by a robotic voice, although this isn’t as annoying as on some rivals, and can be muted.
The great thing about the Magellan is that it’s just as capable if you leave your car behind and head off on a cross-country walk or bike ride. However, for the latter, you will need to buy a separate handlebar cradle.
You select a destination using longitude and latitude figures, or a point on the map. Either way is simple, and you follow the on-screen arrows set on to a contour map. It will even direct you on water, while an MP3 player and photo viewer are included.
Magellan Crossover GPS sat-nav, price: ?299, rating: 3/5, buy from: 0800 6243 5526, www.magellangps.co.uk