A Street Pilot maps it out. Picture by Prem Singh

New Delhi, Aug. 7: Driving and tracking an address ? not just in India, but in any part of the world ? can be a harrowing experience even with a local co-pilot beside you (and that includes a haranguing wife).

Relax, help is finally at hand in the form of automobile navigation device, which is based on the global positioning system (GPS). This portable device will not only enable to track down that elusive address but also seek information about the road head. So, drivers will be able to know about a major breach due to a rain or traffic snarls and take alternative routes to the destination.

This is an equipment traditionally used by mountaineers, trekkers and army personnel to find routes in an unknown terrain. It is now available in India for less than Rs 15,000.

GPS India has launched Street Pilot, a GPS-based car, vehicle navigation system, which gives turn-by-turn guidance with voice prompts.

The device works both over land and high seas, enabling the user to accurately reach a destination, even in places where there are no visible landmarks such as a desert or in the mountains. Internationally, such devices are used by transport services (land or sea), trucking companies, as well as individuals, especially in inter-state travelling and adventure sports.

Ramesh Kashyap, general manager of GPS India, said, ?GPS is the first company to launch car/vehicle navigation system in India and are targeting the mass market for this product.?

Delhi-based GPS India is a master stockist and dealer supplier to Garmin International Inc, the leading US manufacturer of GPS and original equipment manufacturers of sensor-boards worldwide.

The Street Pilot is a user-friendly device like a mobile phone and you don?t need training to use it. The driver has to just select a destination and the map on the screen will guide the user to that destination, Kashyap said.

The product is based on auto route-based map features of inter-state and major highways. The route is indicated with a magenta line, and the position is shown as a black triangle. Its data fields contain information such as the speed and course. It also has 256-color TFT display that is easy to read in bright sun.

The GPS receiver connects to the satellite directly. There is no service charge on GPS. Everything is included into the cost of equipment.

?The GPS market in India has just opened up. It has still to take shape. No one has yet carried out any survey on this aspect or given any industry figures, therefore, it is difficult to assess the market size of GPS in India. Currently, our target customer is anyone and everyone driving a car,? Kashyap said.

?We already have more than 50 channel partner in the country to sell GPS. We are planning to appoint retail outlets for selling the Street Pilot range. Our plan is to tie-up with auto accessories shops, electronic dealers, IT retail outlets and technology stores. These outlets will demonstrate the GPS to the consumer and the customer will get a touch and feel of our product,? Kashyap said.

The company feels that there is a need to educate people about the GPS and its utility.

Kashyap said people, even those living in the metros, are not aware that the government has cleared the sale of GPS equipment in the country. The notification was issued in January 2004 and the information is available at the website of the directorate-general of foreign trade.??We are planning to start marketing through advertisements and road shows,? he said.