By Patrick Avenell
Attention grey nomads, adventurers and Volvo driving soccer mums: Navman has released a GPS device specifically for your collective needs.
Called the My Escape, this personal navigation device has been designed to suit the broad yet unique requirements of drivers at the wheel of campervans, 4WDs, caravans and “large vehicles under 9 tonnes”. Navman also recommend the My Escape for those driving normal vehicles with a boat or similar in tow.
“There are many extra things you have to think about when you drive a larger vehicle, such as if there are low tunnels, corners that you may not make it around, narrow streets or roads with weight restrictions on your route,” said Navman marketing director Wendy Hammond.
“We’ve all seen YouTube videos of trucks stuck under bridges or cars towing caravans being stuck in a narrow street. While the audience may find it funny, I can assure you the drivers weren’t laughing at the time. Luckily, with the new large vehicle assist feature on the MY Escape, this need never happen to you.”
Although Hammond did not provide any links to such YouTube videos, Current.com.au did some precursory searching and found the following clips: Cattle Truck Stuck Under Bridge, Truck Stuck In Narrow Street and Caravan Stuck Building Buildings. Current.com.au especially liked this last one.
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Features of the My Escape include a 5-inch screen housed in a dust and vibration proof case, Australian and New Zealand maps, spoken street names, landmark guidance, speed sign and limit alerts and 3D landmarks.
Safety features include red-light, speed camera and school zone alerts, truck alerts in truck mode and accident black spot warnings.
The My Escape will be available in October 2011 for RRP $599.
The new Navman My Escape.