Amsterdam
– TomTom is stepping up its
automotive OEM presence in the U.S. with the announcement that Mazda’s new CX-5
compact crossover will get a TomTom navigation system as a car-dealer-installed
option.
TomTom began
offering its first car-dealer-installed navigation solution earlier this year for
the 2012 Fiat 500.
In the
Mazda, the TomTom system takes the form of a hideaway module that connects via to
the 5.8-inch factory touchscreen monitor via USB. The module also features an
SD card slot to install map and software upgrades. The module provides RDS-TMC
traffic updates, voice recognition to control select navigation features,
spoken street names, advanced lane guidance and IQ Routes, which enables the
device to evaluate route options based on actual historical traffic speeds
rather than posted speed limits. IQ Routes recommends the fastest route for the
time of day.
In the 2012 Fiat, TomTom’s solution is
slightly different. It is a “semi-integrated” solution that looks like a
traditional PND and can be used outside the car, but it sits in a dash-mounted
cradle to connect to vehicle wiring to get power and integrate with the
vehicle’s electronics systems. When plugged in, the device displays information
from the car’s trip computer and media player. It can be controlled from the
car’s steering-wheel controls.
Both
products are designed to reduce the price of OEM navigation systems while
offering such aftermarket features in an OEM system as easy map upgrades,
better graphics and displays,
The
products also represent TomTom’s growing emphasis on the OEM car market in the
face of shrinking industrywide sales of PNDs.
“We have had
a successful collaboration with Mazda in Europe over the last 14 months, and we
are excited to expand our relationship to the North American market”, said
Giles Shrimpton, managing director of TomTom Automotive.
