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Car Rear-View Mirror With Built-In GPS -- a Brilliant Idea

by Will Safer on January 12, 2009 at 04:41 AM


Azentek's SmartMirror is a combination rearview mirror and GPS unit – an obvious marriage of old and new in-car tools that is so obvious we wonder why more companies aren't bringing these to market.

The GPS software is by Navigon, so you've got a fairly well-respected navigation device maker's know-how in the product.

We wonder if the SmartView will be appealing to crooks who want to smash a window to grab the GPS but when we talked with Johnny Cooper, Azentek president and CEO, here at the Consumer Electronics Show he assured us that when it's turned off the unit looks just like a regular rear-view mirror and therefor won't be obvious fodder for a baddie. We'll take his word for it – for now.

Like other Navigon units (and most navigation devices), this one has a touchscreen for easy input. It also features an SD card for maps, hands free Bluetooth, and point-of-interest information. Plus it's capable of displaying video from a back-up camera and collision avoidance system. (Nice.)

Pricing is around $800 and a new version, which expands the width from 4 inches to 4.3, will be out this summer.

Tags: car safety, CarSafety, CES 2009, ces-2009-top, Ces2009, GPS

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