Toyota is preparing to deploy new technology for in-car
navigation systems used in its vehicles. With most GPS systems, customers can
purchase new maps annually or bi-annually to take advantage of new roads that
have been built or old roads that have been closed/redirected.
With Toyota's new "Map on Demand" system found on its
G-Book telematics service, this antiquated method of map updating will be
replaced with dynamic updates. The system will provide updated data on
expressways and toll roads. The system can also be updated to reflect local road
changes near a driver's home or near a pre-programmed destination.
The use of user-specified updating negates the need for
large scale updating of map data which would require an enormous amount of
overhead and data bandwidth to perform updates. In its current form, Toyota's
Map on Demand feature can provide updates via a cell phone network or from an
Internet download.
Toyota states that the Map on Demand system delivers updates
on local road changes to drivers almost immediately. Updates to expressways and
toll roads, however, can take up to 7 days to update. This is still much
quicker than traditional map updates.
Toyota’s Map on Demand system will be available with its Japanese-market G-Book service starting this spring.