I can still vividly remember my first visit at CeBIT, one of Europe's (and the world's) most important technology trade shows, where a very large number of manufacturers come to share their latest developments with each other, the general public and journalists from all over the world. Well, and one device I've come across back then was a replacement care rear-view mirror, which had been enhanced in order to provide navigation features.

Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the Chinese OEM company advertising this product, but it looks like the concept has caught on, since DirectUSNav is not offering exactly such a product, very explicitly called an “OEM Replacement Rearview mirror with integrated GPS Navigation” or TD40TOUCH, for short.

Similar to what I remembered, the device offered by the DirectUSNav combines a normal mirror with a built-in GPS navigator built around a Samsung S3C244OA-400MHZ processor, accompanied by a 16-channel, high-sensitivity dual-antenna GPS receiver. The device also packs 64GB of internal memory, as well as a 2GB SD card for storing Maps, Pictures and e-books, and a couple of speakers for voice guidance.

This rather unusual combo also sports a 4.0-inch touchscreen display, while being able to provide over 7 million POI’s (points of interest), 3D terrain and landmark graphics, clear visual cues and precise voice instructions, in addition to Bluetooth hands-free phone capabilities with incoming caller ID on screen and automatic call answering.

"The TD40TOUCH GPS rear-view mirror is exactly what the market has been looking for,” said Frank Rogers, Chief Marketing Officer for Directus Navigation. “Consumers are more interested in a simple built-in GPS system that doesn’t involve suction cups and dangling wires,” Mr. Rogers added.

Unfortunately, the company has not provided any pricing info just yet, but if the price is low enough, this thing might actually become a pretty hot seller, given the advantages it provides over standard PNDs (well, at least the entry-level ones, to be completely honest).


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