Driving assistant and free app give motorists total view of the road
Life
Image: TomTom
After years of focusing on business solutions, TomTom is again firmly targeting consumers. The Dutch company today introduced its own driving assistant, which together with a new free TomTom app should form a complete solution to to tell motorists not only where they are but the prevailing conditions and hazards, as well.
The device, simply called Tom, attaches magnetically to the dashboard and works without a screen or voice function. Instead, it alerts drivers via LED signals (red, orange or green) and a buzzer to speed cameras, traffic jams and dangerous situations, among others. This keeps maximum attention on the road.
Tom automatically switches on when starting a journey and receives all information from the associated TomTom app, which runs silently in the background. Drivers therefore receive traffic alerts even when they are not using active navigation.
The compact device is paired with the smartphone using Bluetooth and only needs to be recharged with a USB cable after a month of use.
Thanks to TomTom’s global network of users, billions of data points are collected every day, providing accurate traffic information and dynamic route recommendations.
Surprisingly, users do not have to take out a subscription. There is only a cost for the driving assistant itself.
Although TomTom still supplies consumer products, including in-car navigation boxes, the Dutch company is actually focusing mainly on the business market. Trips into smart watches and action cameras were discontinued years ago.
Business AM