With a companion to your destination
Satellite navigation systems are gradually beginning to replace traditional road atlases and paper maps. The cheapest ones cost just over 1000 zł.
Telematics devices are increasingly pre-installed in the console of a car, but portable kits that are easy to install in a car or motorcycle are also becoming popular. Prices for such devices are falling rapidly, and digital maps of Poland are becoming more accurate, making it easier to find your way.
Not only in limousines
Originally very expensive and only found in luxury cars, satellite navigation systems are increasingly being offered in lower-end cars. From year to year, their prices are reduced in Poland. For example, two years ago, about 2 had to be paid for this type of device. zlotys, last year it was already a thousand zlotys less, and today it is enough to buy a navigation system from 3 to 1200 zlotys.
In 2005 more than 4,5 million navigation systems were sold in Europe, this year the number should reach about 7 million. In addition to factory-installed devices in cars, the number of portable devices is growing rapidly. Last year they were bought by about 2,5 million people, and sales in 2007 are estimated at almost 5 million.
Poland does not yet occupy a significant position in these statistics, although the interest of drivers in such vehicles is constantly growing, and its manufacturers are expanding their offer focused on our market.
Smaller and more precise
There are more and more devices for navigation. The more accurate, the more expensive, as a rule (for example, with a built-in GPS receiver that allows navigation even where satellite signals do not reach, it costs about 7,5 PLN).
Devices in the form of a small box, which are mounted on the windshield thanks to the suction cup, have the advantage that they can be easily transferred to another vehicle and even taken on a hike. The screen is admittedly small, mostly 3,5 inches, but the journey is supported by oral messages broadcast in Polish. There are also pocket computers with built-in GPS functionality in the palm of your hand.
Navigators are offered not only with Polish menus and voice messages in Polish, but also with maps of at least neighboring countries, usually the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany.
Until recently, satellite maps of our country were not very accurate. They worked mainly in Warsaw, a number of other large cities and on the main highways. Attempts to use such devices in "less civilized" regions usually failed. 
However, it was known that the detailing of maps was only a matter of time. Therefore, more and more advanced versions appeared on the market, constantly updated, including plans for even small cities. They allow you to search for more important streets and characteristic points, such as hotels, gas stations, ATMs. “Satellite navigation systems are becoming more and more popular,” says Robert Rozeslanets, president of AutoGuard & Insurance.
“Their prices are falling, while the quality and accuracy are constantly rising. In particular, portable devices are becoming increasingly popular, which drivers can quickly install in both a company car and a personal car, and even a motorcycle.”
Satellite navigation is developing dynamically and it can already be expected that soon the traditional paper car atlases will become a thing of the past.
Satellite navigation is provided by GPS (Global Positioning System) which provides accurate positioning, speed and time. This is done thanks to radio signals received from 24 NAVSTAR satellites orbiting the Earth. They are received and decoded by GPS receivers. Measurements from four satellites are practically used to determine the position of the receiver. The GPS system, originally intended for military use, became widely used over the years.
Approximate prices for navigation devices
device navigational | The map | Screen (") | Weight (g) | Language | indicative price * (PLN) |
AutoGuard Naviflash | Poland / Europe - 28 countries | 3,5 | - | Polish | 1799,00 |
Becker Traffic Assist | Poland / Europe - 37 countries | 3,5 | 187 | Polish | 1799,00 |
Blaupunkt Travel Pilot Lucca | Poland/Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary | 3,5 | - | Polish | 1499,00 |
GeoSat 4Drive | Poland / Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, East Germany, Northern Italy Switzerland | 5 | 300 | Polish | 1696,00 |
My C510 | Poland/Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Croatia (beach part), Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3,5 | 170 | Polish | 1171,00 |
TomTom GO910 | Poland/Europe, USA, Canada | 4 | 340 | Polish | 2149,00 |
