“The aim is to increase drivers’ focus and confidence by using advanced Sygic features over standard navigation via a map,” Sygic said in a press release. The company is also combining three of its advanced camera-based features — Real View Navigation, DashCam, and Speed Limit Sign Recognition — under the same roof titled SmartCam. This enables easier and faster access to the tools. Real View Navigation uses augmented reality (AR) to display your navigation route over the real-life view of the route, obtained via the phone camera. While your car’s display will show the full map with the navigation instructions, your phone’s display will overlay the route on a real image of the surrounding (see featured image above). DashCam, as the name suggests, records a video while driving. You can set this feature to automatically start recording when it detects a sudden change in speed, which can often be a sign of a crash or collision. The app gets data from the accelerometer sensor in the smartphone to detect speed changes. Speed Limit Sign Recognition is also self-explanatory. It detects traffic signs and alerts you if you’re driving faster that the allowed speed limit on that road. So even if your eyes miss the roadside board, Sygic has got you covered. This feature is not available in Canada, Puerto Rico, and the US, though.
Sygic users are getting more navigation features
Sygic is also letting Android users add new POIs (points of interest) on their navigation route on Android Auto. The car display will mirror their current speed as well. Users with an iPhone, meanwhile, will automatically get a navigation route to an event that they have added to their Apple Calendar on CarPlay. The calendar entry must contain the precise address of the event location, though. The ability to add POIs is also coming to the iOS app. Last but not least, Sygic is letting users replace the traditional blue navigation arrow with a car icon. Users can choose from various makes and models, or use a van or formula icon. This feature is available on Android and iOS mobile apps, as well as on Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
