Car maker Volkswagen (VW) and internet giant Google are developing an in-car navigation system that gives directions using Google Earth images, Volkswagen said on Monday.
The three-dimensional display, combining road maps with satellite imagery of locations, also makes use of online data that provides the driver with information on traffic conditions and the weather, VW said.
Google and VW have been cooperating with graphics chipmaker nVidia on the new system, which is being developed at Volkswagen’s research centre in California, VW said in a statement.
The new system displays a photo-quality view of the driver’s route, rather than the basic graphics displayed by current navigation systems.
No decision has been taken on whether to put the new system into series production, VW said.
Volkswagen, Europe’s biggest car maker, has been hit by heavy losses and is undergoing major restructuring in a bid to bring it back into profitability.
Marketing manager Wolfgang Bernhard recently announced plans for a new series of VW models. — Sapa-dpa