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There's no doubt that of all the driver supporting in-car technology currently on the market, one of the best is satellite navigation. You only need to look at its popularity to understand how useful satnavs are, with millions of UK drivers relying on them to get to their destinations.
However, while they are a great driver aid, becoming too reliant on them can be a big issue. There are numerous examples of drivers ending up at dead-ends, on impassable lanes, in roadworks or taking much longer routes than they needed to.
Research from Confused.com shows that almost 70 percent of UK drivers said that they end up doing longer journeys than they need to and nearly 50 percent confessed to feeling angry and frustrated by their satnav. The upshot is that misleading directions have caused over £200m of damage to vehicles.
It has become such an issue that the government just held its first 'Satnav Summit'. Bringing together highway authorities, mapping providers and satnav manufacturers with the aim of making sure that the right vehicles are on the right roads.
There was also a review of how satnavs can better reflect local conditions and whether they can unlock local authority information on parking availability or road works.
Of course, it's not just car and van drivers who are heavily reliant on these devices. When HGV's are stuck on unsuitable roads it's harder for them to turn around and it generally causes significant disruption to traffic as tailbacks develop and drivers get frustrated.
There is no doubt that satnav's provide a better solution than the previous alternative; a map, which dates just as quickly and often tempts drivers into the dangerous act of trying to drive and navigate at the same time. But they must be treated as a driver support and not followed blindly.
Common sense must prevail, and to support this it's always advisable to update the system with the latest maps while also having a rough idea where you are going and the main roads that you should be using.
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