BANGALORE, INDIA: In a move that will make road travel less stressful and more fun, Blaupunkt, a subsidiary of Bosch, today announced the launch of TravelPilot series of in-vehicle navigation systems in India.

Available in three models - Blaupunkt TravelPilot 100, Blaupunkt TravelPilot Lucca 3.5 and Blaupunkt TravelPilot 300 - these models have map data from MapmyIndia and navigation system with high level of functionality. The device has digitalized map covering 1,30,000 towns and villages, national highways, state highways, and other major roads with a total distance of 5,04,338 kilometers.

The Indian edition of the Blaupunkt TravelPilot has a powerful microcontroller in the devise. In case of diversions from preset path the controller calculates a nearest path and displays it to the driver to reach the destination at the earliest. The route guidance is based on a combination of spoken and visual recommendations.

The navigation devises are plug-and-play installations and uses super-fast route calculation, besides having easy color menus and intuitive instructions. The higher end model Blaupunkt TravelPilot 300 has a Bluetooth interface to accommodate mobile phone and entertainment functions. The integrated Bluetooth interface enables not only handsfree speaking and listening, but direct call dialing as well.

Frank Eric Toma, vice president, Business Unit Aftermarket, Blaupunkt said the company was delighted to introduce the in-vehicle navigation systems in India which has one of the largest road network in the world. "Transforming a car into a mobile information centre is our mission and we are constantly engaged in developing new technologies that combine entertainment with information and innovation," he added.

According to the vice president, the in-vehicle navigation market in India is still at a very nascent stage. "For us it is important to be in Indian market from this early stage and look at long term gains rather than short gains," he added.