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I’m Lost Without a Nav System
Jul 22 2008 by Lori Hindman
7/22/08
Cool Car Features Can Be Addictive
By: Lori Hindman
Part of the fun of this job is getting to try out all the new car tech features out there. The downside is that when I get back into my own (not too shabby) car, I really miss some of them.
I get pretty comfortable riding around in shiny, clean cars with nifty features such as auxiliary ports, adjustable pedals and secret storage bins. I’ve experienced air-conditioned seats (clammy), tri-zone climate control (superfluous) and voice recognition (unreliable). There are cars that check your tire pressure, cars that beep at you for drifting out of your lane and cars that can check movie times. I’ve even seen a car with a refrigerator. Some of the features are entertaining, some are confusing, but some are really addictive.
So, what can’t I live without, in my admittedly spoiled state? Because safety comes first at MotherProof.com, I’ve gotta say that I need a rearview camera. I’m now paranoid when I’m backing up my car without that little screen reassuring me that I’m not running over the neighbor’s cat or into a shopping cart. The car sensors that beep when you get close to something don’t help me; I want a color screen and a picture, thank you very much.
In the area of entertainment, an auxiliary port is no longer enough. Of course, a car without even that (like mine) is a monument to a backward, cultureless society, but a simple port no longer thrills me. I want an iPod interface that puts my playlists at the tip of my fingers and charges my iPod while I drive. Getting into my ’04 van and plugging my iPod into the (gasp) tape deck is an exercise in degradation. I don’t know how much longer I can take it.
Of course, satellite navigation is something I never thought I’d need, as I rarely go out of my comfort zone and I’m pretty good with directions. My husband needs nav to find his way home, but I have always been rather proud of my superiority in that quarter. So imagine my surprise when navigation hooked me by tapping into my other addictions. The ability to locate the nearest Starbucks in under a minute is now a necessity in my life. On a recent road trip to Grandma’s house, a route I know quite well, I was stumped as to which exit on our 200-mile journey would provide me with the requisite caffeine to complete the drive in good spirits. I also spent more time than I would have liked trying to find the particular fast-food restaurant requested by the backseat. A good nav system is quite an enabler.
So, I’m spoiled. And lazy. And addicted to lattes. I admit these things. While I’m not about to sell my car over it, I’m gonna whine sometimes. I mean, I can’t be entirely alone in this, right? What tech has you in its thrall?
User Comments
I love the navi in my Pilot. It’s been such a time saver for me for the past 5 years and 200k+ miles, I could never go without one again.
Now, whenever I hop in a car without Navi I feel somewhat naked! I love the the security of knowing I will always have “Cindy” (doesn’t everyone name their Navi?) to lead me home, from wherever I might end up.
The technological advances in the past 5 years since I bought my Pilot are insane. Now there’s all those neat things like real time traffic, improved POI’s and bluetooth… oh how I long for an MDX 
.
Only downer to my Navi love is that I’m literally forgetting how to navigate on my own. This has proved to be problematic when someone asks me for directions to a place I just went. It’s a little embarrassing!
I’m lost WITH my sat nav! Every time I use the damn thing I seem to end up lost plus I hate machines that talk to me - I have enough trouble with my wife talking all the time I’m driving. At least I can switch the sat nav off! If only!
I like your site. Very clean...great job!
I am with you on the iPod port and if you want, you can drive me around and I bet I know as many Starbuck’s around as the nav system - we could have a contest between me and the computer!