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Volkswagen and Google develop revolutionary navigation system

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Wow..

cool!

this is really neat!

it will be kool to have this gadget as a portable device, so I dont have to buy a Volkswagen to get one :)

imti - you'd consider buying something BESIDES a volkswagen?!?

no voice control, why bother?

Jason - You consider BUYING a VOLKSWAGEN?!?

VW are not very good cars IMHO... cool thing tho.

Only people from Eastern and Southern Europe like VW cars. VW sux..

I dono what you have had, but my 2003 R32 and my 2004 Jetta are the best cars I have ever had. I still even have my 1985 GTI that I bought out of High School, and it hasent had a problem yet

VW paid google to ban BMW.

Wasn't BMW banned because of doorway pages?

Weaf:I'm from north western europe and i love VW's.

Pioneering this kinda idea is why VAG are such a repected group.

Fantastic.
Its good to see VW using Google technology. It will revolutionise the way we use maps!

-Juiio
http://www.wirah.com

damn it i love it!

This is so cool! Just like VW. Very good combination.

VW cars are notorious for poor reliability. Check consumer reports guys!

vw cars suck! renault is the only european car that is very good.

I have to admit this looks extreamly promising. I am interested in the ability to search for local desintations like the next service station. Two thoughts here, firstly I agree Voice Control would make this feature really cool, should be realitively straight-forward commands like "Show next gas station". Secondly, will VW consider selling this technology to other manufactors?

VW are Western European, of course. But they make very reliable cars - and this system almost certainly would be destined for the high-end VWs and Audis first.

Is it Linux, Java or Windows based?

Strong analysis. Good job!

Disagree, Subaru's are best and I would love to upgrade to the latest Subaru Outback Wagon 3 litre when I can one day afford it. I do remember having a VW Beetle back in the late 60's and it was juuuust the best car at that time.

VW are NOT notoriously unreliable cars, they had a couple of first gen models that were problematic and thats it. I see plenty of beat up 15-20 year old jettas on the roads and that says alot. My own Jetta is almost 8 years old and has yet to see any major problems.

"VW cars are notorious for poor reliability. Check consumer reports guys!" : Maybe you should check reports that aren't dated in the mid eighties ? VW and the likes are west-european : they are from Germany. VW and the rest of the group (Audi, Skoda and Seat) are considered amongst the best european cars. Maybe even amongst the best worldwide.

"vw cars suck! renault is the only european car that is very good." Are you insane ? French cars are amongst the worst here. Almost as bad as american ones. Almost all other euopean cars are better : Volvo, Audi, Saab, BMW, Mercedes, Seat, Lancia, Alfa ... do not compare those to eastern european cars like a Lada.

Our american friends clearly have never driven a Renault or Volkswagen. Declaring Renault to be the best European car manufacturor is calling a Ford GT40 a fuel efficient car. I've driven both Renaults and Volkswagen (and related Audi, Skoda, ...) and Renault just screams CHEAP. Release the car - a ton of fixes (in hard and software) later. Never had that problem with VW.. If I had any issues with them it was with aftermarket stuff such as my Blaupunkt stereo. The only reason I see someone prefer a Renault is because the cars in their top range (Scenic, Megane, Velsatis) are HUGE, and if Americans seem to judge something in a car its that it is large and hungry for gasoline.

vw's rule. you guys only say they suck because you want one for yourself! lol anyway, this looks promising but as my mate has just pointed out i doubt it wil be as simple as this..

This looks fine for a person with a navigator in a car but is too complex for the driver the driver just needs the map traffic densities and alternative routes around the traffic buildups

You people are loosers. I've had a total of 4 vw's and had very minimal problems with them. All my friends with North American cars have had many problems with them.
Screw these pathetic consumer reports.

Amazing!

If technology is meant to make our lives simple, this is going to be one great example...

Cant wait to have this technology in India

Whats with all the U.S.A. bashing? Some people are so jealous. I own a VW Jetta, love the car even though it has been to the dealer four times already for stupid little problems. The Ford Explorer that I had before that though, never a single problem and got slightly less gas mileage than my Jetta.

Cool.

VW and Google...naturally they would work together to bring this amazing technology!

VW's are great i've not had many problems at all granted there are problem models. History tells us that it is written by the victors. Consumer reports are also written by people with bias's

This is really cool technology, and when it becomes available I may just use it. And I've driven my Jetta for 5 years now without issue. Unreliable? Please. She's still running strong, even with the extreme amount of engine modifications I've done to her.

Wow, this is cool -- but I would never buy another VW even to get this. In 55k miles, I have replaced a transmission (under warranty, thankfully), *two* AC compressors at my own expense ($1,300 a pop), two sets of brakes/shoes, and have had numerous other problems. The car has stranded me twice (Water pump and belt tensioner) w/o warning. Reliability is absolutely terrible (Check Consumer Reports for validation). Longevity and Reliability are two different things. If you keep pouring money into a VW, it *will* last a long time. But this Google thing is undeniably COOL! Hopefully others will develop it also. Maybe it's the cure for boredome in your VW while you are waiting for the next thing to fail.

Reading other's comments...

Yes, the magazine Consumer Reports is biased.

They are biased against non-objective testing and reporting, and refuse to do it.

(Read that carefully, guys)

Make Friends With Your Fast!!!

vet gaaf

Wow. Where do you want Google to know you've gone today? Remember, they never throw away anything.

Me, I prefer Fords, they are super reliable.....haha I almost wrote that without laughing.

VW's make me spooge

As in spooge I mean Get off

Wow, great stuff.. When can I get my hands on the API?

to eurovan owner: it's no woder you are having problems.. you own a eurovan.. i do too, but i also do my own repairs as well.. none of the vans vw offered were reliable in alot of aspects..

as far as vw is concerned i have owned and driven several examples and yet to have any major complications.. the best part is i drive it like i stole it!!!

IMHO - As a navigation device I don't think this is going to be that useful... Maps are easier and clearer to read and navigate.
Satalite images are too busy and distract you from finding the route.

Had a GTI for 5 years now and zero problems. Fun as hell to drive to. So Eastern Europe is not the only place that enjoys the VW mark. IMHO

very good deal form google to do this cool project with an germany car company. This high tech map would be look very bad in the low tech us cars.

VWs are great. But if you don't like driving around with a CEL all the time, you'd better get something else.

Wow!!!! An item that already got press in January! Nice scoop!

What about the attention bottleneck? Two dimensional maps aren't as sexy or pretty as photorealistic 3D, but they take up less of your attention to glance at them. There's an elegance to the minimalism of maps. They only tell you what you need to know for the purposes of finding things and getting unlost.

It's one thing to look at this new interface on the web. It's quite another to imagine it next to a driver's dashboard. I wouldn't want this thing competing for attention with the road.

wow... multinational corporations joining together in order to track your every movement, and all you folks can do is either yell "cool! yay! i want one!" or argue about car brands (as if you OWN the companies)..??? no point warning anyone about corporations taking over the earth, since it looks like they've already taken over everyone's mind by conditioning people to be uncritical consumers of every little gadget that comes along (even when that gadget has the insidious ability to totally track you everywhere you go). you guys have apparently based your ego structures on what brands you buy, so i guess it's no surprise that out of all the comments, only one wise person spoke up about the dangers of this new technology.

dark days ahead for humanity, kids... get ready for your RFID implants and the government "security" cameras inside your house.

> VW cars are notorious for poor reliability. Check > consumer reports guys!

Wait till this device is out. If it ever makes to the production. There is no bloody way this is
going to work reliably. Simpler nav systems
are full of bugs. Just add the buggy nvidia
hardware and more code to the mix and see what happens.

This must be a hoax cause Google's satellite pics are far too outdated for the most parts of the world to be of any use in assisting the driver.

Probably the most intelligent things writtten so far were by Devil and Shamash!

A good documentary video "How international bankers gained control of America", explains how it all started, whos hands the power is in, and who runs the world. Vids on the Bilderbergs will also show that the Multinationals play a huge role in shaping our way of life.

Google is out of date in its pics in my area by a fair few years, but apparently a service at a premium is available to show current satellite imagery. After all the military satellites can read the headline of the newspaper you are reading on a clear day...... and they can't find a 6 1/2 ft tall bin Laden on camel back in the desert? Spare me!

I seem to recall the same mix of enthusiasm and criticism for the segway, before it’s launch. I would still like to own one of those... but not till I finish paying for a few other things more important like, a house, a car, and reliable notebook computer.

I think it’s probably the same with this. Yeah you want one of these, but how much will it cost, will you pay for one when for 20$ you can get an area map-book and you can the local city maps at most gas stations for 5$ a pop (if the driving directions you printed out at home for 7c/page back home don’t show enough detail)

VDubs are awesome cars, i have a 93 jetta and have never had any problems... Im from toronto and its one of the most driven cars around... so to hell with ur renults and ur american stuff, and bring on the FAST :P

I own a portable GPS, a Garmin Nuvi. I use it to navigate when I fly out to visit friends and relatives in CA. Hell, I depend on it. Looking at the images of the Google/VW system, it looks real pretty, but I can tell you from experience that in a glance, you would be hard pressed to comprehend street names and labels with all of that map imagery and clutter on screen. It may look great to you that have never used a GPS, but I think it would be impractical and difficult to use it for real-time navigation with all of that eye candy there.

that really is revolutionary

that / this is sooo coool !!!!!!!!!!!

a cool gadget, lets hope its portable or ill have to splash the cash on a new golf

Why develope so much imagery when most people listern to the instructions, looking out of a window gives you a really great picture!!

Read way down the list before I found a letter talking about the cost of using the new satnav system. Could be very pricey on long journey unless there is a reasonable set price tarif.

Well this is xcellent news for Wireless providers. For up to date info about traffic you will surely need a well wired country.And someone who commented about distraction is also right.Something needs to be done to minimize that

Will this flatten my battery?

Of course Honda would never invest in this kind of technology. There's no point, as all of the drivers are pensioners and couldn't work the device. Not to mention the confusion caused as they look for their reading spectacles to see where they should turn next.

Ford would invest heavily if they could get it to generate routes without having to make a left turn.

My car looks best parked up on the driveway. I like to take pictures of it in my spare time. It is blue. The breakdown van comes weekly to give it a lift

I'd like to swap my wife for a maserati.

Sorry, I meant that my wife would like to swap me for a maserati. Just need to chop the connifer down before I leave...

blee blee blee

VWs are for homosexuals.

VW r nt 4 homusexuals nd i fink if enythin u r a homosexual 4 seyin dat m8!!! u must b sad 2 fink dat. dey r reliable carz nd hav sum smashin designs. ure probly a tramp dat as a crappy car nd ure ded jelouse of ppl hu hav VW's cos u dnt sey dat, u need ta srt ya self out man!!!

so whats your wife like clive ? i got a 78 chevy & 250 can we deal ?

VW Wolfsberg == reliable
VW Mexico == not-so-reliable

MY WIFES A BLONDE SHES TALL AND HAS BLUE EYES IM LUKIN 4 A NICE EXACTIVE CAR AN AUDI 4 ER!!SHES GOT LOTS OF ENERGY ND LIKES EARLY NYTS

ill swap a moongoose brawler bmx nd a claud butler 4 ya wife dats da best i cn do cos i aint gt a ride yet

ok clive, your a hard man to do a deal with. How about i throw in a chain saw ? & thats 250 pounds sterling not bucks.

hey Matt, if u get clive's wife you "GOT YOURSELF A RIDE"

its my birthday tomorrow

happy birthday jack ! its mine in october

why do you people have to be oh! so funny, ? this is a serious comments page on an interesting subjet ! PS CAN SOMEBODY BRING ME ROUND SOME MILK, I'M DYING FOR A CUPPA' & I GOT MY JIM JAMS ON NOW.

nice with the sat-nav,think it should used for all cars though:):):):)

VW-Peoples Car-designed for the people of Nazi Germany, a most reliable car, shame about brain power, needs Google to try and make it a technical break through

For Christs sake...!!! Google Earth was a nice gimmick a year ago - it isn't real time, just an archive of limited shots mainly over metropoliotan areas (with some green feltip adobe pens in between!). There is no practical application or technological possibility of this yet for VW or Google...

You're wrong - everyone knows that Google and Volkswagen have satelites and are watching all of us!

VW is only adding to the greatness of their cars. I am looking to replace my 1.8T with a new one and may get this. Not sure what model it will come out on.

And to those of you who bash VW, yea whatever. You just keep thinking that so we don't have too many idiots driving VW's. Any VW before 2000 I would agree, but a lot has changed.

i've nver had so much fun driving before i got my 1.8T and i've never had any problems with it. i'm waiting on delivery for my 2.0T GTI, i can't wait. vw for life here......

A 3D model of the planet?? Awesome, but I suspect google won't be accomplishing even a half decent model, its simply infeasible!

NAVTEQ or TELEATLAS data?

I will "google" a lot when this gadget is out

I'm not going to wait for this device to come out. I can use a paper based map, so Clive where can i pick her up from?

I thought Google Earth used Teleatlas data. I have found this to be inaccurate, especially my local area where they have incorrect street names.

Hey Matt i don't mind yours. As long as she's low maintenance and does not breakdown as often as some models mentioned here

Parabéns para a Volkswagen e para o Google, pois isso vai facilitar e muito nossas vida.

Espero que chegue ao Brasil bem rápido, pois essa idéia vai nos ajudar muito.

é o bicho

isto sim é futuro do navegaçao

Além da praticidade, transmite segurança, economia e rapidez.

The fact is al cars have there problems Personal own a 01 New Beetle TDI geting 40-45 mpg do oil changes ever 10K. Car has 53K on it replaced the tires new front pads and rotors and had the cheap ass window clips replaced after driver side broke leaving it in the down position. and since someppl dont like VW dont consider an Audi either becuse thats VW's sebling company the Bugs got rings all over it So no TT's for U

Excelente la presentacion.Esperamos su pronto lanzamiento al mercado

Too much of a toy, all of this 3D info. I'll have hit a tree before i have figured out where i am.
When i drive i want a clean UI.

Too much of a toy, all of this 3D info. I'll have hit a tree before i have figured out where i am.
When i drive i want a clean UI.

seems cool, shame it isn't in every car

I am not sure if I would get a naviational device mainly because it will be a fairly expensive option. I have had my passat for over a year with two very minor issues fixed by VW in one visit. I agree, I do not like consumer reports as I think their testing is flawed.

I love your website, it wrocks

your mamma so stinky her speed stick slowed down..and stoped!

you very man

Nihao, Nu hum ni tuag mi sa phun.


Yo mamma breath is so stinky she smiled and she stopped traffic all ova china

your mamma is so fat that when she stepped on the scale it said to be continued

range rovers new satnav is the dog,s..wotsits

You guys who bad mouth VW are nuts. I can not name an american built car I would want to own.

VW are Hitler's cars

man wats going on? first we talk about sat navs then start swearing.

its wrong to say stuff about peoples mamma

i absolutly hate vw's especially the vw bora its nearly like the passat which looks like a ford mondeo

if you want a cheap car go for citreon/renault if you want executive go for bmw if you want value go for ford uh.. what catagory does vw come in? there expensive to repair/maintain and are dogged by leeky engines

ahi no mamen

Slag off VW as much as you want, but truth be told: There are fewer "average Joe's" switching cars after owning a VW than any other make. Once you've owned a VW, chances are your next car will also be a VW. Wonder why consumer reports never mention that?

With regards to this gadget, cant wait for it... and to everyone slagging it of..... I'm sure that companies that have enough brain power to get to big corporations will think far enough as to sort out your concerns.

sounds like a superb idea, and would be veryt good on general release to fit in any car. if it can be made small enough

I want to see more in a better quali

great idea, the more I reseach this the more I like it, but what is the cost of having this navagational system?

by daniel on 2006-03-14 12:50:13 CET

vw cars suck! renault is the only european car that is very good.

???? what!!! oviously carn't afford a better car! what a ****!

Great looking Satnav display. What's the coverage and how easy is to use?
I've had a Passat for 3 years from new and never had a problem. I've just taken a look at the Which consumer reports and see two conflicting surveys the one says VW as a brand has poor reliability the other males clear that new cars less then 2 years old are very good!

shut all your mouths the whole thing sucks. The car sucks and the navigation system sucks so just give it a rest you weirdose and get a life!!

heavy

I Want One When Can we get it

Why do they not include speed camera news?

sounds ok but wait till the map data (e.g.road routing information and adresses) change and you'll be in trouble. This stuff does change! better wait for live over air mapping thats up to date......

THE SAT NAV IS A GREAT THING(LOVE THE GRAPHICS).AS TO THE PEOPLE WHO SAY RANAULTS ARE GREAT.YOU NEED TO OWN FIRST.I HAVE HAD ONE FOR TWO YEARS AND IN THAT TIME REPLACED THE FRONT AND BACK DISCS/SHOES TWO TIMES.IT EATS PETROL LIKE ITS GOING OUT OF FASHION.I WOULD DRIVE A VOLKSWAGEN BEFORE A RENAULT ANY DAY.

Renaults were fitted with no 5th gear in the box for 3 weeks on the production line. V-dub managed to build tanks and staff cars that plough most of europes fields. give me a Delorean.

wow is goooddddddddddddddddddddddddd ha for travels only in usssss

i hope you all burn in hell

hi! mi name is matias . I live in argentina.....
IT IS VERY COOL

maticapo_91@hotmail.com

Colombia -

Sera que los usuarios seguidores de google y que tenemos cuenta en google - podremos acceder a este famosisimo programa satelital en tiempo real y no es como en google earth, ya que este programa cambiara la forma de ver las cosas, la seguridad industrial y quisiera obtener google en tiempo real..

www.lacoctelera.com/familia

mailto:
racsocruz1@gmail.com
racsocruz1@hotmail.com

this is incredible system, i like this.

gfhsdfhh

The maps are at least 5yrs old, the zoom shows my Transit van and BMW in our driveway and i sold both of them at least five years ago, a lot of the street names are incorrect.
Just as well that i dont use google earth for directions or i would be up the creek without a paddle, I will stick with my tried, trusted and proven Becker sat nav system, no not one of those cheap and nasty tomtom`s.

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