ABSTRACT
Finding one’s way in an unfamiliar city can be a difficult task, particularly when one has to attend to other traffic at the same time. Getting to know the city beforehand, by studying maps or asking people familiar with the city to point out the way, may make the task somewhat easier. Still, one frequently has to stop to check one’s position, since information studied beforehand is often partially forgotten. The task would be somewhat easier if the driver could have permanent access to several kinds of information necessary for navigating in an unfamiliar city. One solution would be a simple piece of paper, where the driver has written down names of roads to be followed, or has drawn a sketch map of the city. This solution may still be very effective, but it is limited in the information it offers. Another solution, which is now technically feasible, would be a navigation system, an electronic aid that offers the driver various kinds of information upon request. Currently, two major alternatives are under development:
1. Map displays, possibly with current location and desired destination indicated. Commercial examples of map-display systems include the American ETAK Navigator system, the European TRAVELPILOT system, and various Japanese systems.
