Black box news - Telematics box insurance holders could use Virtual Cable

Car insurance news - Telematics box insurance and the Virtual Cable

Motorists such as telematics box insurance holders, who embrace technology which helps them save money and drive safer on the road, may be interested in a new system which has just won the European Satellite Navigation Competition in Munich, Germany.

Californian company Making Virtual Solid (MVS) has developed an in-car augmented reality navigation system called the Virtual Cable which, it believes, is less distracting than current sat-nav GPS technology.

The ‘head-up display' (HUD) projects images onto the windscreen, avoiding any need for a road user to take their eyes off the highway. The images are reported to be clearly visible both at night and in bright sunlight.

A red, three-dimensional line guides motorists along their chosen route, and MVS states on its website that this simple graphic will mean that, amongst, other things, motorists will not have to "estimate 500 feet to the next turn", "[turn] down the radio to hear directions", or "[refocus] eyesight as they look from road to a map screen and back to the road again".

The Virtual Cable system is similar to devices fitted into cars covered by black box insurance as it is unobtrusive and does not alter the appearance of the vehicle. This may make it particularly popular with car-proud drivers.

Telematics box insurance holders, who already hopefully receive the financial benefits of cheaper car insurance, may also be pleased to hear that MVS say they have designed the system as cost-effectively as possible.

Currently the system exists only as a prototype but MVS has grand manufacturing plans and is now searching for a business partner to help them build the Virtual Cable unit into car, lorry, boat and aircraft dashboards.