Popular Auto GPS Units

Several commercials on television today advertise auto GPS units to help people navigate as they travel. Some are factory-installed, such as OnStar for GM vehicles, and others can be purchased after the sale of the vehicle, like TomTom or Garmin Nuvi. Auto GPS units will commonly have preloaded maps of all United States highways, city streets, and waterways. In addition, some auto GPS systems will have the capability to chart multiple destinations for long trips or multiple errands in a new town.

OnStar

OnStar can notify the authorities if there is an accident or other emergency, and can call for roadside assistance if there is a mechanical problem or a lock-out situation. OnStar is also a comprehensive auto GPS unit that can give directions to and from locations as well as help authorities locate the vehicle in the case of an accident.

The OnStar service pack allows a vehicle owner to choose the number of features he would like activated on his auto GPS. Any of the OnStar plans that are offered will include all available services, and some nice extras like a virtual advisor for weather updates and traffic reports. The service pack also includes remote horn and lights service, which will assist the driver in finding his vehicle if necessary. There is stolen vehicle assistance as well, to help authorities track the vehicle in case of a theft.

TomTom

TomTom is a full service auto GPS unit; it has maps, driving directions, voice driving directions, detours, and many programmable features available. It can also give weather and traffic updates, and it has a generous three-and-a-half inch screen that is easy to read and easy to see day or night. TomTom features a voice option in 22 different languages, and has up to 36 different voices to choose from. This auto GPS unit also has Bluetooth technology to make over-the-air updates quick and reliable.

Nuvi

The Garmin Nuvi has tons of premium features such as currency converters, international time sync, and plenty of charts that offer comprehensive driving directions. The Nuvi also has voice directions and a measurement converter. This handy unit is small enough to fit in a pocket, which allows it to double as a hand held GPS receiver for hiking, fishing, camping and more. The Garmin Nuvi also has plug and play capabilities for plugging directly into computers, a USB port to upload pictures, and many other computer-based functions. Additionally, this smart auto GPS unit can alert the driver to school zones, safety cameras and more proximity alerts.

Auto GPS units are fun and functional, with lots of premium features that are easy enough for even novice techies to enjoy. The auto GPS units don’t require much, if any, programming, and will often be fully functional after inserting batteries and letting the computer load its preset features.

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