Navigon
Encyclopedia
Navigon GmbH is a Hamburg
, Germany
-based manufacturer of GPS devices and GPS navigation software. It is privately owned, however in June 2011 it was announced that Navigon is to be acquired by a subsidiary of Garmin
. With effect from October 31, 2011, Navigon has changed his legal entity from corporation
(Aktiengesellschaft
)) to GmbH.
Navigon's full portfolio includes Navigon branded personal navigation devices as well as OEM software solutions for the navigation, wireless and automotive sectors. Navigon currently has offices in Asia, Europe and North America; and employs more than 400 people.
. With the introduction of Traffic Message Channel
-based (TMC
) traffic avoidance features in 2002, Navigon became the first to offer such a feature on a consumer GPS product.
In 2005 private equity
firm General Atlantic
bought a minority interest in the company in order to provide capital for expansion. Peter Scheufen continues to have majority ownership. In 2006 Navigon acquired Navteq
's navigation software business. After primarily catering to the European market, in 2007 Navigon directly entered the North American market by forming a subsidiary, Navigon Inc. headquartered in Chicago, IL. http://navigonusa.com/about/company/
Additionally there are several older models which were sold under the Transonic name in Europe which are products of Navigon GmbH. These models have since been discontinued, being replaced by Navigon's current offerings. http://www.navigon.com/site/uk/en
market.
Navigon Inc. announced its first OEM agreement in November 2004 with EasyPocketNAV.com, a leading distributor for portable GPS navigation solutions. EasyPocketNAV.com marketed and sold the OnCourse Navigator (TM) software, based on Navigon's technology platform, which turned Microsoft-powered Pocket PCs into an easy-to-use voice guided GPS navigation system.
In May 2006 Navigon appoints Andreas Hecht as Senior Vice President, General Manager, of the Americas and in May 2007 as President, General Manager. He replaced Edgar Christen as General Manager. Hecht was responsible for Navigon's operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and South America. An authority in the navigation sector, Hecht is a 10-year veteran of Navteq, creators of the world's most widely-used digital maps, where he served in senior executive roles in technology and business development in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.
Navigon Inc. launched three models in the North American market in July 2007. The initial launch included the 2100 (2120 in Canada), 5100 and 7100 models. These models introduced several new features to the North American consumer GPS market including:
In April 2008 Navigon Inc. expanded their line-up with the 2100 Max (2120 Max in Canada) model. This model is functionally similar to the original 2100 but includes a larger, 4.3" LCD screen and adds the company's Direct Help functionality. http://www.navigonusa.com
On October 13, 2008 Navigon announced that Michael Roach, former director of U.S. sales
for LG Electronics
, would become president of Navigon's North American operations.http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=AUSASPER.story&STORY=/www/story/10-13-2008/0004902572&EDATE=MON+Oct+13+2008,+08:00+AM In his role as president for the Americas, Roach will lead all marketing and sales functions for the Americas. He will report directly to Egon Minar, chief sales officer at NAVIGON AG (Germany). Roach replaces Andreas Hecht.
On May 4, 2009 Navigon announced that they will cease North American sales. According to CEO Egon Minar: "Due to the difficult economic environment and the aggressive pricing we have decided to withdraw from the PND business in North America for the time being. We are however not closing down our Chicago office which will continue to serve our automotive and mobile phone businesses in North America." Since this announcement the Chicago office has, in fact, been closed.
As of August 2009, the only consumer products Navigon offers in North America are the iPhone
application and Android Apps, and visits from North American IP addresses to the www.navigon.com or www.navigonusa.com sites are redirected to a site devoted to the iPhone application, with no mention of former Navigon consumer products, even those that were brand new on the market less than a year before. Despite discontinuing North American sales Navigon products are still supported, albeit only by e-mail with European support representatives. Those individuals who owned Navigon's map update service prior to its discontinuation are still receiving map updates for their devices as of December 2009.
. Map errors are handled by the Navteq Map Reporter. Errors can be reported using Navigon's report map errors page and also using the Navteq Map Reporter.
In June 2011 Navigon introduced a point of interest
package derived from the crowdsourced OpenStreetMap
project.
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-based manufacturer of GPS devices and GPS navigation software. It is privately owned, however in June 2011 it was announced that Navigon is to be acquired by a subsidiary of Garmin
Garmin
Garmin Ltd. , incorporated in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, is the parent company of a group of companies founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao , that develops consumer, aviation, and marine technologies for the Global Positioning System...
. With effect from October 31, 2011, Navigon has changed his legal entity from corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
(Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e. owned by shareholders, and may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland...
)) to GmbH.
Navigon's full portfolio includes Navigon branded personal navigation devices as well as OEM software solutions for the navigation, wireless and automotive sectors. Navigon currently has offices in Asia, Europe and North America; and employs more than 400 people.
History
The company was founded 1991. Navigon has introduced several "firsts" to the GPS navigation market. In 2000, Navigon launched the industry's first navigation software for the Pocket PCPocket PC
A Pocket PC is also known by Microsoft as a 'Windows Mobile Classic device'. It is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer, personal digital assistant , that runs the Microsoft 'Windows Mobile Classic' operating system...
. With the introduction of Traffic Message Channel
Traffic Message Channel
Traffic Message Channel is a technology for delivering traffic and travel information to drivers. It is typically digitally coded using the FM-RDS system on conventional FM radio broadcasts...
-based (TMC
TMC
TMC may stand for:*Tennis Masters Cup, a part of the ATP World Tour Finals*Thomas & Mack Center, an indoor arena on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas opened in 1983.*Timaru Mongrel Club, Timaru, South Canterbury, New Zealand...
) traffic avoidance features in 2002, Navigon became the first to offer such a feature on a consumer GPS product.
In 2005 private equity
Private equity
Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....
firm General Atlantic
General Atlantic
General Atlantic is a private equity investment firm. The firm invests through growth capital injections, control buyouts, industry consolidations, build-ups, recapitalizations, and PIPEs...
bought a minority interest in the company in order to provide capital for expansion. Peter Scheufen continues to have majority ownership. In 2006 Navigon acquired Navteq
NAVTEQ
Navteq is a Chicago, Illinois-based provider of Geographic Information Systems data and is a dominant company in providing the base electronic navigable maps...
's navigation software business. After primarily catering to the European market, in 2007 Navigon directly entered the North American market by forming a subsidiary, Navigon Inc. headquartered in Chicago, IL. http://navigonusa.com/about/company/
Navigon Europe
Navigon GmbH is the parent company of all Navigon brands. Navigon is one of the largest GPS brands in Europe and is well established. Navigon GmbH sells several models that carry similar model numbers (usually differentiated with the xx10 or xx50 in their number) as those sold in North America. Most of the devices include similar features and functionality as their counter-parts.Additionally there are several older models which were sold under the Transonic name in Europe which are products of Navigon GmbH. These models have since been discontinued, being replaced by Navigon's current offerings. http://www.navigon.com/site/uk/en
Navigon Inc.
The U.S. subsidiary, Navigon Inc., was formed in March 2004 with Edgar Christen as General Manager to adapt and market the Navigon product line in the North AmericanNorth American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
market.
Navigon Inc. announced its first OEM agreement in November 2004 with EasyPocketNAV.com, a leading distributor for portable GPS navigation solutions. EasyPocketNAV.com marketed and sold the OnCourse Navigator (TM) software, based on Navigon's technology platform, which turned Microsoft-powered Pocket PCs into an easy-to-use voice guided GPS navigation system.
In May 2006 Navigon appoints Andreas Hecht as Senior Vice President, General Manager, of the Americas and in May 2007 as President, General Manager. He replaced Edgar Christen as General Manager. Hecht was responsible for Navigon's operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and South America. An authority in the navigation sector, Hecht is a 10-year veteran of Navteq, creators of the world's most widely-used digital maps, where he served in senior executive roles in technology and business development in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.
Navigon Inc. launched three models in the North American market in July 2007. The initial launch included the 2100 (2120 in Canada), 5100 and 7100 models. These models introduced several new features to the North American consumer GPS market including:
- Reality View - A feature which displays computer generated static images of complex Interstate Highway interchanges.
- Lifetime Traffic - Traffic Message ChannelTraffic Message ChannelTraffic Message Channel is a technology for delivering traffic and travel information to drivers. It is typically digitally coded using the FM-RDS system on conventional FM radio broadcasts...
service similar to offerings from other companies, but for a one-time fee (or included with some higher end models). - Zagat SurveyZagat SurveyZagat Survey was established by Tim and Nina Zagat in 1979 as a way to collect and correlate the ratings of restaurants by diners. For their first guide, covering New York City, the Zagats surveyed their friends. As of 2005, the Zagat Survey included 70 cities, with reviews based on the input of...
Ratings & Reviews
In April 2008 Navigon Inc. expanded their line-up with the 2100 Max (2120 Max in Canada) model. This model is functionally similar to the original 2100 but includes a larger, 4.3" LCD screen and adds the company's Direct Help functionality. http://www.navigonusa.com
On October 13, 2008 Navigon announced that Michael Roach, former director of U.S. sales
for LG Electronics
LG Electronics
LG Electronics is a global electronics and telecommunications company headquartered in Yeouido, Seoul, South Korea. The company operates its business through five divisions: mobile communications, home entertainment, home appliance, air conditioning and business solution...
, would become president of Navigon's North American operations.http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=AUSASPER.story&STORY=/www/story/10-13-2008/0004902572&EDATE=MON+Oct+13+2008,+08:00+AM In his role as president for the Americas, Roach will lead all marketing and sales functions for the Americas. He will report directly to Egon Minar, chief sales officer at NAVIGON AG (Germany). Roach replaces Andreas Hecht.
On May 4, 2009 Navigon announced that they will cease North American sales. According to CEO Egon Minar: "Due to the difficult economic environment and the aggressive pricing we have decided to withdraw from the PND business in North America for the time being. We are however not closing down our Chicago office which will continue to serve our automotive and mobile phone businesses in North America." Since this announcement the Chicago office has, in fact, been closed.
As of August 2009, the only consumer products Navigon offers in North America are the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
application and Android Apps, and visits from North American IP addresses to the www.navigon.com or www.navigonusa.com sites are redirected to a site devoted to the iPhone application, with no mention of former Navigon consumer products, even those that were brand new on the market less than a year before. Despite discontinuing North American sales Navigon products are still supported, albeit only by e-mail with European support representatives. Those individuals who owned Navigon's map update service prior to its discontinuation are still receiving map updates for their devices as of December 2009.
Discontinued North American Products
- Navigon 2000S
- Navigon 2090S (RadioShack Exclusive)
- Navigon 2200T
- Navigon 2100 Max
- Navigon 5100 Max
- Navigon 7200T
- Navigon 8100T
Current North American Products
- Navigon iPhone app
- Navigon MobileNavigator for the Android platform
- Navigon MobileNavigator for the Windows Phone platform
Maps
The maps used by Navigon are provided by NavteqNAVTEQ
Navteq is a Chicago, Illinois-based provider of Geographic Information Systems data and is a dominant company in providing the base electronic navigable maps...
. Map errors are handled by the Navteq Map Reporter. Errors can be reported using Navigon's report map errors page and also using the Navteq Map Reporter.
In June 2011 Navigon introduced a point of interest
Point of interest
A point of interest, or POI, is a specific point location that someone may find useful or interesting. An example is a point on the Earth representing the location of the Space Needle, or a point on Mars representing the location of the mountain, Olympus Mons.The term is widely used in...
package derived from the crowdsourced OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap is a collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world. Two major driving forces behind the establishment and growth of OSM have been restrictions on use or availability of map information across much of the world and the advent of inexpensive portable GPS devices.The...
project.
Navigon Traffic Live
Navigon’s iPhone Application, MobileNavigator is all set to receive the Live Traffic feature that is capable of warning users of the upcoming traffic congestion and dynamically routing the user around it.See also
- Traffic Message ChannelTraffic Message ChannelTraffic Message Channel is a technology for delivering traffic and travel information to drivers. It is typically digitally coded using the FM-RDS system on conventional FM radio broadcasts...
- NDriveNDriveNDrive Navigation Systems, SA is a worldwide provider of navigation services to mobile platforms. Founded in 2001, the company has a staff of 60 people and is headquartered in Porto, Portugal with sales offices on all continents....
- Automotive navigation systemAutomotive navigation systemAn automotive navigation system is a satellite navigation system designed for use in automobiles. It typically uses a GPS navigation device to acquire position data to locate the user on a road in the unit's map database. Using the road database, the unit can give directions to other locations...
- Magellan NavigationMagellan NavigationMagellan Navigation, Inc. is a producer of consumer and professional grade global positioning system receivers. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with European sales and engineering centers in Nantes, France and Moscow, Russia, Magellan also produces aftermarket automotive GPS units,...
- GarminGarminGarmin Ltd. , incorporated in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, is the parent company of a group of companies founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao , that develops consumer, aviation, and marine technologies for the Global Positioning System...
- TomTomTomTomTomTom NV is a Dutch manufacturer of automotive navigation systems, including both stand-alone units and software for personal digital assistants and mobile telephones. It is the leading manufacturer of navigation systems in Europe. TomTom's customer service is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands...