By Yeong Ah Seng

CAR GPS systems have come a long way. It used to be that they provided only road navigation. They can now offer real-time information, including that on traffic conditions, parking availability and weather conditions.

Quantum Inventions, a spin-off from the Centre for High Performance Embedded Systems at Nanyang Technological University, has come up with navigation software, Galactio V8 and Galactio V8 HD, that caters to the requirements of Singapore motorists.

Taking feeds from a RDS-TMC service, information on traffic and road conditions, ERP rates, weather data, flood warning and even parking availability, is fed to the GPS device.

The driver is thus totally clued in on what is happening.

When a pop-up warning of a road accident or closure ahead appears on the GPS screen, the driver can take an alternative route, instead of being sucked into the vortex of an endless jam, which is what many hapless motorists experience.

Information such as parking- space availability and ERP rates and ERP minimalisation (routing to reduce ERP charges) is most useful to motorists who have to contend with growing challenges to their ability to move freely around Singapore.

Yes, they cannot evade the ever- widening net of traffic restrictions but, if there is a smart way to lessen the pain, it would be nice to have.

Holux's GPS Smile 62F is an affordable accessory with a fairly intuitive user interface. And, compared to built-in navigation systems, software upgrades can be installed easily.

If only a bigger screen version were available, that would be even better.

How much: $199 for GPS unit and $69 for a two-year subscription to RDS-TMC service

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